Theatre reopens following revamp

A full programme of events will be staged at the theatre

Eden Court theatre in Inverness has reopened following a £23m refurbishment and expansion project.

The arts venue's revamp was completed about 12 weeks later than expected and £3m over budget.

A row over Highland Council's funding for the building led to the resignation of a senior councillor after he said it was a "waste of money".

Theatre staff have put together a programme of music, comedy and performances to mark the reopening.

Five open spaces within the building include a 264-seater area, with stage and control rooms.

It will host the first performance of The Sundowe - the winner of Eden's new musical contest.

Medical company LifeScan Scotland, which donated £650,000 to the refurbishment, was invited to name the space. It has been called OneTouch.

Another was named after a former newspaper editor and supporter of the arts.

Jim Love, who died last year, edited the Inverness Courier and was a former regional news editor of the Press and Journal.

Coalition partners

Three other areas of the theatre were named after former entertainment venues in the city.

A row over funding of the council-opened theatre threatened to overshadow the final weeks of construction at the site.

Critic Roddy Balfour quit as education chairman at a meeting with fellow members of the authority's ruling independent and SNP coalition in August.

Mr Balfour, an independent councillor, was invited to explain to his Nationalist coalition partners his stance on a theatre's revamp.

He had earlier claimed to have widespread public support.