A TROUBLESHOOTING working group, set up by Warrington Borough Council, is investigating what can be done to improve facilities at the Parr Hall.

An analysis was undertaken with the help of Phil Smith, the manager of Bolton Albert Hall that found the hall wanting in various several areas.

These areas included: uncomfortable seating, poor lighting and sound equipment, poor kitchen facilities and lack of space backstage.

Warrington Borough Council's education, culture, and lifelong learning scrutiny sub-committee will discuss the interim findings of the group on Tuesday.

While a consultation exercise will be carried out this month to get the opinions of Parr Hall users on the future of the venue.

Clr George Warburton, chairman of the scrutiny sub-committee, said: "The scrutiny review into the Parr Hall is about to move into the next phase, taking the form of a wider public consultation exercise.

"It is vital that the people of Warrington and Parr Hall users themselves are consulted as part of the final review and we hope people will want to express their views on the facility, what it could do better and how it needs to change to meet the needs of the future."

As part of the consultation, focus groups are being held at the Pyramid Centre this month to get opinions from youth groups, theatre and arts projects and other Parr Hall users.

The findings of the consultation will be discussed at the next meeting of the scrutiny sub committee in spring and an action plan will be drawn up from there.