Hundreds of protesters at a meeting to save the Priestley Centre demanded help from the £1.3 million budget set aside for the Capital of Culture bid.

There was also fierce criticism of Bradford Council at the meeting, packed with 200 people, for failing to take more action over the nearby derelict Eastbrook Hall which has been blamed for declining audiences at the crisis-hit theatre.

The Council's regeneration and scrutiny committee decided to urge the executive to explore all possible avenues of funding to stop the closure of the centre. The centre management was also urged to explore a range of users and better access for disabled people.

Lawyer John Martin, who spoke out at the meeting, said the authority's regeneration strategy was "froth" and glossy brochures.

The centre has stopped trading because of its financial problems and could go into voluntary liquidation within the next few weeks.

Chairman Councillor Andy Mudd said it was "outrageous" that his committee had been told it could not scrutinise the budget which had been set aside for the bid to become European Capital of Culture.

Councillor Val Slater demanded to know why nothing had been done about Eastbrook Hall, which deterred people from coming to performances.

The Council's director of regeneration and housing, Patrick Wiggins, said the Council, Yorkshire Forward and owners of the hall, which stands in a conservation area, were planning a feasibility study into how it could be developed.

Coun Mudd said: "There is still an amount of money in the Capital of Culture budget. Why can't we dip into that pot to spend something which has been central to the culture of Bradford for 74 years?"

Executive member for the environment Councillor Anne Hawksworth said there was £1.3 million in the budget but it was not her responsibility. "I would hope a lot would be moved into the art and cultural area," she said.

Coun Hawksworth added she did not think there should be "pointless drip, dripping" of funds to help the centre but they needed to look at external funding and regenerating the area around the theatre.

Chairman of the board at the Priestley Centre for the Arts Limited, Glen Boldy, said it had produced a vision which formed the basis of a business plan.

"We can create a contemporary urban art space," he said.

But Mr Boldy said they were not professionals and needed help.

Councillor Mukhtar Ali (Lab, Bowling) said at least £50,000 should be taken from the Capital of Culture budget to prevent the theatre from being mothballed.

But leader of the Council's Liberal Democrats, Councillor Jeanette Sunderland, a board member of the Regen 2000 Single Regeneration Budget Partnership Board, said she hoped it could send someone to help the centre. There would need to be management changes at the theatre and issues including access would have to be addressed.

Our picture shows some of the campaigners at last night's meeting.