PLANS restore a historic auditorium to its former glory can be viewed by the public from today.

Brighton Hippodrome, which was built as an ice rink in 1897, could be used to host gigs, comedy shows and other live performances once an 18-month restoration is complete.

Plans for the venue, which has hosted legendary acts including the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, are subject to planning approval.

Work to restore the Hippodrome to its former glory began after it was bought by family-run company Matsim Properties last year.

From today, people in Brighton will be given access to initial ideas around the venue's future.

Groups of up to five will be allowed to visit at any one time and sessions will last for around 15 minutes.

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Visitors will be able to view Matsim's plans for the historic landmark, which include replacing the roof which has been damaged by dry rot.

Speaking to The Argus last week, owner Simon Lambor said he can't wait to welcome people back inside the Hippodrome.

He said: "They are initial proposals so we are looking to hear everyone thoughts and they are open to change.

The Argus: The Argus was given an exclusive look inside Brighton Hippodrome last weekThe Argus was given an exclusive look inside Brighton Hippodrome last week

"We just want to see the building interacted with as much as possible by everyone in Brighton and everyone coming to Brighton.

"It has got such an amazing performance history that performance has got to be apart of that.

"A great big performance and hospitality venue."

Mr Lambour gave Argus readers a tour of the Hippodrome, which has been unused since 2007, pointing out the extensive damage and restoration needed.

One such area is the roof, with the seaside air contributing to the damage.

Matsim have submitted plans for a new roof structure over the auditorium, which would allow crews to repair the ceiling before removing the defective coverings.

When Mr Lambour first took over the property last year, there was a leak in the structure so big that it could be seen from Google Earth.

The public consultation will last until May 21 and interested parties should visit https://brighton-hippodrome.co.uk to secure a slot to view the auditorium and initial concepts.