New theatre, in old Odeon, opened April 1996. Home of Alan Ayckbourn. Art Gallery, theatre-related shop and restaurant (lunch and dinner). Two stages and a function room. Wheelchair places in both auritoria. McCarthy has induction loop and both The Round and McCarthy have infra-red systems. Guide dogs welcome. Under financial trouble at the end of 1996, requesting more money from a very strapped council - which was approved early 1997. However, the saga went on for the rest of the year before the funding was finally settled.