YORK Theatre Royal has closed down for a massive revamp with fundraisers just over £200,000 short of their £4.1 million target to pay for the project.

The theatre shut its doors on Tuesday as work began to transform the front of house and auditorium areas.

The work will include glazing-in the colonnade in St Leonard's Place, creating new and more spacious welcome areas, reconfiguring the stalls and stage to create much better views for audiences and installing a foyer lift to improve access and provide new seating areas for wheelchair users in the dress circle.

A theatre spokewoman said the response from the public to the fundraising appeal had been 'extraordinary.'

She said: "Individuals, community groups, schools and colleges have devised the most imaginative ways to raise money for the theatre.

"The re-development will cost £4.1 million and in October 2014 the theatre launched a Public Fundraising Appeal to raise the last £500,000 still needed."

She said 94 per cent of the £4.1 million had now been raised, leaving £217,000 left to find, and the theatre was once again asking York residents to help raise the last amount.

Chief executive Liz Wilson said schools had put on fundraising concerts in the theatre's historic De Grey Rooms Ballroom, people had donned fancy dress for the day, community groups had made and sold crafts, students had been selling doughnuts, and thousands of pounds was raised during panto season as Berwick Kaler urged audiences to donate to bucket collections after each show.

Two days before the closure, the theatre also hosted an Open Day which was attended by over 1,500 people, and raised over £4,000, with a number of people naming a seat that will feature in the new auditorium for 10 years.

*People can donate £5 or £10 by texting YTRC15 £5 or YTRC15 £10 to 70070 or donate online at justgiving.com/yorktheatreroyal/donate/.

To name a seat call the Box Office on 01904 623568. For more information, please visit www.yorktheatreroyal.co.uk/donate