A COUPLE are taking over the running of a popular theatre.

Eastbourne Borough Council is set to grant the lease of the Royal Hippodrome Theatre to Alex and Debbie Adams.

They recently approached the council with a request to take over management of the theatre which needs at least £1.4 million investment to restore the building.

Alex and Debbie, left, have been involved in theatre for much of their lives and have been producing the summer season at the Hippodrome for the past five years.

They are well known locally and run their own theatre school for children.

Cabinet councillors agreed to enter into a lease agreement with them and to take the necessary steps to enable work to start on the façade of the building.

The council will remain the freeholder of the theatre with the couple responsible for all building repairs.

The current CIC, with the addition of Alex and Debbie as directors, will continue to manage the programming and running of the theatre.

Alex said: “We are very excited to be taking on responsibility for the Hippodrome and while it is going to be an ongoing project over many years, we know we will be able to breathe some life back into the building and make the theatre a prominent feature of the town.”

Councillor Margaret Bannister said: “This will protect the future of the theatre for generations to come.”