An action plan is to be drawn up to revive the fading fortunes of the White Rock Theatre in Hastings.

Consultants are being drafted in to come up with ways to save the theatre after a review exposed "serious weaknesses".

A report and survey by Hastings Council in the summer revealed audiences were not happy with the variety or quality of shows.

The consultants will be funded with cash saved through the resignation of the theatre director, who left last month for personal reasons.

Councillors heard that a plan should be ready before March when the theatre has its next review.

Earlier there were fears that the theatre, which dates from 1927, might have to close after profits slumped.

But the council kept it open rather than selling it or leasing it to a private company.

Anne Greenhalf, secretary of the Hastleons Amateur Dramatic Society, which puts on productions at the site, said: "I think we are very fortunate to have such a lovely theatre like the White Rock in Hastings.

"When I look around Hastings I sometimes wonder how much further down it has to go before it pulls itself back up again. The theatre is one of the only good things about it at the moment. It is a shame to see it struggling."

The theatre recently won a £30,000 grant from South-East Arts to develop ways of boosting ticket sales.

Ideas which have been considered include improving the theatre's marketing and redesigning the box office to make it easier to use.