A SOMERSET theatre is set to benefit from £10million of funding.

The manager of the venue said it was a "wonderful surprise" at a "dark dark time", after the news was announced during the Budget on Wednesday (March 3).

Plans for a £23million renovation at The Octagon Theatre in Yeovil were announced earlier this year.

READ MORE: £23m plans revealed for The Octagon Theatre in Yeovil

And the £10million will help with the upgrade, which is set to include increased capacity (the main auditorium will seat 900 rather than 622); a fly tower and two smaller performance spaces.

Adam Burgan, arts and entertainment venues manager for South Somerset District Council, said the funding announcement was a “wonderful surprise”.

“We found out along with the rest of the public when it was announced in the Budget,” he added.

Mr Burgan said it had been a “dark, dark time” for the theatre industry during the pandemic.

“It is very strange that our theatre that’s normally so full of life and energy and excited audiences has been quiet for such a long period, but I think coming out of the pandemic, the investment in this project is a really key part of the recovery,” he said.

Mr Burgan said investment in the arts will “bring us all back together to help us make sense of what we have gone through”.

He added the funding will help provide an “economic boost” to the area by creating new jobs.

“I think for us, Somerset has deserved this kind of investment and it is great to see it coming, especially into the rural area that we serve.

“We will be able to sell a lot more tickets and let a lot more people in to see those really, really popular events.”