The future of Richmond Theatre looks secure after the council agreed to guarantee a £300,000 overdraft allowing them to pay of their more pressing debts.

But the move has angered the Conservatives on the council and Tory group leader Tony Arbour has accused the theatre's management of blackmail.

He said: "Every year the theatre management come along and put a pistol to our heads and say unless you give us more money we will close the theatre.

"And each year the Liberals have fallen for the same sob story and paid up, at the same time raising council tax and cutting services."

The row has been going on since the theatre was refurbished in 1991 and since then the Tory opposition group has claimed the borough's council tax payers were paying up to £1000 a day to repay a loan taken out to pay for the refurbishment.

The Tories now believe the figure could reach £3,000 per day by the year 2012.

But council leader David Williams defended his party he said: "They (the Tories) are obsessed with attacking the Liberal Democrats at the expense of the troubled theatre."

Richmond Council said it would apply for Lottery Stabilisation Funding to help reduce the debts.

This was welcomed by Sir Peter Wakefield Chairman of the Board of Trustees he said: "We are grateful for the assistance the council has given us over the years.

"Few theatres outside the West End can survive on income from ticket sales alone. Many enlightened councils throughout the country support their local theatres in the belief it enriches the community."

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