Albany Theatre, Coventry: Work starts on £3m redevelopment

The 1935 building survived the bombing of Coventry in 1940

Major works have started on the £3m redevelopment of a city theatre.

The Albany in Coventry is set to benefit from a new studio theatre and two education spaces, as well as a new café and bar area.

The building, which started as part of Coventry Technical College in 1935, survived the 1940, WW2 bombing of the city.

The Albany is also set to launch two theatre groups for children and young performers in the autumn.

Grants associated with the City of Culture programme and the local authority have enabled the works to take place.

David Meredith, chair of the Albany Theatre Trust, said: "It's fantastic to get the work under way as we enter an exciting new chapter in the Albany's history.

"These developments are helping us to improve the experience we provide to our audiences, while creating even more space for communities and local artists to use the Albany and enabling the trust to become financially self-sufficient."