The rising cost of attending professional drama productions were highlighted at Ledbury Theatre Club's annual meeting in the Burgage Hall.

President Ken Dodsworth said that in the ten years since the club was formed, ticket prices have risen by between 72 per cent and 87 per cent.

He said: "Hence, the theatre is a much greater luxury than it was."

But this has failed to put a damper on the club, which currently boasts over 300 members and managed 26 separate visits to theatres last year.

In a decade, the club has managed 216 theatre trips in total.

Three visits to the RSC at Stratford have already been arranged for 2003. Other theatres visited recently by the club include Malvern and the Grand at Wolver-hampton.