A PUBLICLY-RUN theatre group has revealed increases in ticket sales that have contributed more than £5 million to the local economy.

Worthing Theatres, which runs the Connaught Theatre, the Pavilion Theatre and the Assembly Hall in the town, sold 58,000 tickets more than in its previous year.

It also saw its highest ever number of sell-out shows at 154.

Worthing’s cultural offer has contributed £5.2 million to the economy in 2014, with £1.5 million spent in restaurants, shops and in the hospitality industry by people from outside the borough.

Head of culture, Amanda O’Reilly, said: “There is still work to do but this is great progress and the figures show that once people discover the range of quality productions we have to offer, they return, firmly establishing Worthing as a key player on the cultural map.”

The figures were revealed at a council meeting last Tuesday.

Councillor Heather Mercer said: “I am delighted at the success of the theatres team in securing such outstanding shows for Worthing and this is reflected in the significant improvement in ticket sales.”

The offering of events has changed dramatically over the past two years with the addition of sold-out children’s theatre productions, big-name comedians and a new programme of contemporary circus and dance.

Worthing Theatres has also succeeded in making an improvement of £300,000 on last year’s figures.

During 2014/15 the council contribution to Worthing Theatres’ budget was in line with Eastbourne Theatres and just 39% of the local council contribution to Chichester Festival Theatre.

In addition to celebrating the increase in sales, a spokeswoman said the venues continue to achieve against industry trends by seeing 36 per cent of its audience repeat-booking again at some point in the year. The country-wide figure is 25 per cent.

Tina Tilley, chief executive of Worthing and Adur Chamber of Commerce, said: “It’s great news and the change of offering from the theatres has been well received along with an increase in the tourism and watersports side.

“It’s a very different culture here to what it was 20 or 30 years ago and we’re seeing a real change in the market.

“We have an agenda for culture now which we haven’t had before.

“We need to be appealing to a different market than we have been in the past.”