THEATRE bosses have won an 11th hour temporary reprieve in their campaign to prevent the jewel in their crown - Burnley's Empire - being turned into a bistro and bar.

A national Theatre Trust boss persuaded councillors to defer a decision to allow the Edwardian theatre, which they say could become a national flagship theatre, to be transformed.

The trust now wants councillors to consider a feasibility study into Burnley Light Opera Society's £4.4 million bid to restore the Empire to its former glory.

London-based David Wilmore said the Empire was one of only 150 theatres of its kind remaining in the country - and it was the jewel.

He said the feasibility report into the Light Opera Society's bid would be available to the council in 10 days and revealed that the study would show the Lottery-funded plan was feasible. He warned the development control committee that to allow London Company, Valdean's bistro proposal would open the sluice gates to further change and the Grade 11 listed theatre could be lost forever.

"This could be the flagship of theatre for the region, not just Burnley," he added.

Many buildings in the town could be used for food and drink, but only the Empire could be restored to theatrical use.

Councillors agreed to defer the Valdean proposal, but only to the next meeting of the committee, otherwise the company could appeal against what amounted to refusal to determine the application.

Officers, who had urged acceptance of the Valdean scheme for the former bingo hall, said national guidance showed the preferred use was theatre, but no evidence that this was a viable option had yet been given to the council.

The Light Opera Society has not put forward a planning application of its own and in the absence of an alternative, councillors were told they had to judge the Valdean application on its own merits.

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