THE Brewhouse Theatre and Arts Centre in Taunton has secured an additional £145,000 of funding.

As reported, fears were raised earlier this year over the future of the theatre due to a lack of cash.

But funding for 2009 and 2010 has now been secured with £10,000 from Somerset County Council, £50,000 from Taunton Deane Council and £85,000 from Arts Council England’s Grants For The Arts.

Taunton Deane is also said to be considering repeating the additional £50,000 funding next year, and a bid for further support is to be submitted to the Arts Council through the Sustain fund.

The Brewhouse director Robert Miles said: “I speak on behalf of the trustees, staff, volunteers and loyal supporters of The Brewhouse when I say how delighted we are with the encouragement we have received from our funders. “We offer our sincere gratitude for their help in addressing this long term funding gap and look forward to working closely with them to continue to build a long term, sustainable future for producing and presenting high quality arts and entertainment in Somerset.”

Paul Birch, chairman of the board, added: “The Brewhouse Theatre and Arts Centre has been pivotal to the arts in Taunton since it opened over 30 years ago.

“Despite the remarkable increase in audience numbers and income we have achieved recently, our funding position has left us financially vulnerable, and this additional support could not come at a better time. “Our three major stakeholders, Taunton Deane Borough Council, Somerset County Council and the Arts Council, have been hugely supportive of us, and this support has allowed us to develop a business plan that will carry us forward. “However those funding us are only part of the story. “We also owe a huge debt of thanks to all of the community and local and national media who have stepped forward to speak up for The Brewhouse and what it stands for.”