The extension and redevelopment of Ilkley Playhouse at Weston Road, Ilkley, is now rapidly taking shape - thanks to its Arts Council Lottery grant award.

A large steel frame has been constructed over what used to be the theatre's car park, which will soon house a new studio auditorium, and the walls of the new public entrance and staircase are rising along the Weston Road side of the building.

A playhouse spokesman said: "We are very conscious that the building work is causing some disruption to the traffic around Weston Road, and a certain amount of inconvenience to the neighbouring residents.

"We apologise for this and are working closely with the architect and builders to ensure that the inevitable periods of road closure and other inconveniences are kept to the minimum."

The group has also announced that, in order to ensure that the building works were completed as quickly as possible, they had decided to cancel their October production of Alan Ayckbourn's Time of My Life, which had been rescheduled for later in the season, and that the theatre would now re-open on Monday, December 7, with the premiere production of Rosie and the Bad Bad Apples by Valerie Hall, wife of the well-known local playwright Willis Hall.

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