Haymarket Theatre will reopen in 2004

Anthony Lawton, the chief executive of the homelessness charity, Centrepoint, will take up the post in the New Year.

The theatre closed on a temporary basis in July after amassing debts of nearly �500,000.

Since then the Arts Council has agreed to hand over �1.3m to get the theatre back on its feet.

Educational work

More than 60 people were made redundant when the venue closed its doors.

Mr Lawton said despite the theatre facing a number of challenges, the future looked positive.

The theatre has not completely closed, with the company developing community education work for schools and other groups.

The venue is hoping to begin performances again in the spring.

In the longer term, there are plans to move into a new home in the city's Performing Arts Centre in 2006.