THE Coach House Theatre, Grange Road, Malvern, will be shining brightly with new lights after securing a special grant from Malvern Town Council.

The theatre, which opened in May 2006, is run mainly by volunteers, and the new high-tech, remote- controlled, colour-changing stage lights will reduce the need for these volunteers to climb up ladders to change filter colours manually.

The theatre was recently awarded a grant from Malvern Town Council for £3,000, to cover the cost of two new LED lights.

Mayor Cynthia Palmer, visited the theatre to see what a difference they make.

She said: “The Coach House Theatre is a fantastic venue for community and larger projects alike. It is a beautiful building, and Chris and his team have worked so hard to turn it into the brilliant theatre that it is today. It is great to see one new light installed already, and it’s obvious how much this will help the production team in terms of time and safety.”

Chris Bassett of the theatre said: “All users of the theatre are very grateful for the town council's generous contribution to the project, to bring the stage lighting into the 21st century.

“The old lights required high power, leading to high costs which would have continued to rise. They reached a high temperature, and the new efficient lights will save thousands in energy costs over at least the next twenty years.”