Glasshouse to become £2m arts centre

A former glasshouse, which was part of the Royal Doulton factory in Stourbridge, is being transformed into a £2.1million centre for the arts.

Work has begun to refurbish the Lower Glasshouse on the site of the Ruskin Glass Centre in Amblecote, thanks to grants from the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Arts Council.

An artist's impression of what the building could look like when the renovations are completed in the summer has been released by bosses.

The venue will be used for art exhibitions and events and will also provide training and apprenticeship opportunities for future glassmakers.

An auditorium with seating for 400 people will be built and the existing Lehr theatre will be refurbished to cater for an audience of 80 visitors as well as having improved sound and lighting equipment.

The outside of the building will be refurbished and new windows and doors will be fitted. The glasshouse's insulation will also be improved to promote all-round use.

It is the second phase of the Glasshouse Redevelopment Project and follows the redevelopment of some of the old factory buildings to create the Ruskin Glass Centre.

The work cost £1.5m and was competed a year ago with funding from Advantage West Midlands.

The centre is home to 14 small businesses and has been visited by thousands of people since it opened.

It is hoped that the refurbishment of the Lower Glasshouse will be completed by early July in time for this year's International Festival of Glass.