THE future of Burnley's Mechanics Theatre is under threat today as council officials try to claw back money from a £1 million budget deficit.

The council is carrying out a major review of the arts in Burnley to see how facilities can be improved.

Councillor Barry Guttridge, the council's executive member for leisure, could not give a cast iron guarantee that the theatre would not close. He said: "Officers and myself are looking at ways of reducing the Mechanic's subsidy levels.

"That will become clearer during the forthcoming weeks."

Encouraging more people to use the facilities, improving booking arrangements and attracting more touring shows and artists have all been highlighted as areas where the council could do better. The borough council has outlined a 22-point plan to improve the arts service over the next five years following the Best Value Review.

Among the areas earmarked for improvement include: Developing a new strategy to set out the overall aims of arts provision; Improving bar and catering services at arts venues such as the Mechanics Theatre; And improving staffing at Mechanics and Arts Outreach programmes.

The review covered all the council's arts venues.

In 1988 a £3million project at the Mechanics won national design awards and put Burnley council at the forefront of local authority arts and entertainment in the North.

Last year the council announced an ambitious plan for major £6million renewal of the theatre complex -- but cash for the project never materialised.