DUDLEY Hippodrome has been given a new lease of life after campaigners held crunch talks with council chiefs.

The dream of transforming the dilapidated building into a thriving theatre had come to a ‘standstill’ as Black Country Hippodrome Ltd faced funding difficulties due to the limitations of a five-year lease.

Steve Daniels, the group’s managing director, said: “We always knew that the lease was nowhere near long enough but we had no alternative but to accept the five year lease because that is all Dudley Council would give us. We wanted to save the building for the future.

“What we did ask for was a side letter from the council, giving us a longer lease if we meet all the critical milestones - which at the moment we do.”

However Mr Daniels said the original side letter was “of little use” so requested a meeting with Alan Lunt, Dudley’s strategic director for place, to see if it could be amended.

Following Monday’s meeting Mr Daniels said: “The main issue we had was that the side letter that we were given was not specific enough to encourage funders to support us. Although it said that if the critical milestones were met then a new lease would be given, there was no mention of how long the new lease would be for.

“What we asked for was that the sideletter to state that a lease of 20 years would be granted if the critical milestones were met, with no break clause in the new lease. That then would give us a 25 year lease, which includes the five years we have now.

“The council agreed to do this new side letter within one month.”

The latest developments will be discussed during a public meeting - open to anyone with an interest in the future of the Hippodrome - which will be held in the coming weeks.