Work has started on a £5.4 million face-lift of Horsham Arts Centre, the town's major theatre.

It will be transformed into a modern multi-entertainments venue for amateur and major professional productions and film.

The refurbishment will include a new 170-seat cinema on the first floor.

There will also be improvements to seating in the main auditorium and Ritz cinema, better technical, lighting and projection equipment, upgraded heating and ventilation and the conversion of a ground-floor studio into a cafe.

A new glass foyer and social area will extend the entrance by 30ft and a storage area and a lift to the first floor are planned.

Horsham District Council, which is paying for the scheme, hopes the centre will attract more customers and more major films when the centre opens again in 2003.

Leisure director Chris Dier said: "It will give the arts centre a new lease of life and bring it up to date.

"The aim is to create a modern, comfortable venue to carry on with the already successful work of the arts centre and a big increase in film programming, perhaps with three screens running at one time."

Productions will be presented at the Territorial Army Drill Hall in the town while the work is carried out.

Professional performances will also be put on in rural village halls.