The crisis which has hit the Priestley Centre for Arts will be put under the "microscope" by councillors at a meeting in the theatre on January 28.

Bradford Council's Regeneration and Culture Scrutiny Committee will switch its meeting from City Hall to the theatre to dissect and discuss problems leading to its anticipated closure.

Members of the public are also invited to the meeting at 6pm and will be able to put forward their views on the closure of the 102-year-old centre in Chapel Street, Little Germany.

Today Glen Boldy, chairman of the board of Priestley Centre for Arts Ltd, welcomed the meeting.

He said board members were already receiving calls from people anxious to help the centre which is due to cease trading on Monday because of financial problems.

An extraordinary general meeting of members on February 4 will be asked by the board to agree the company should go into voluntary liquidation.

The company, which is a registered charity, owes its creditors £50,000. Although its assets - including the theatre - are worth more, it does not have the instant cash to pay them.

A liquidator would sell the assets and any surplus would go to a similar charity.

The company has blamed falling audiences for the crisis and says crumbling privately-owned Eastbrook Hall nearby deters people from coming to performances.

Scrutiny committee chairman Councillor Andy Mudd said: "I think it is an issue important to the people of Bradford and worthy of being given the platform of a public meeting. We also need to recognise the importance of the venue and the fact that Little Germany is a key regeneration area.

"The issue of Eastbrook Hall will be discussed and I hope the Council will be able to give us some satisfactory information about what is planned for it."

Mr Boldy said groups using the theatre would be able to continue sessions there until February 4 if they contacted the management. A jazz night already arranged will still be staged on February 1.