The Royal Hall was opened in 1903

The Heritage Lottery Fund says its contribution depends on the borough council donating a further �2.6m.

Councillors say they do not have enough money in the budget to contribute any more to the full restoration project.

But the lottery fund told BBC Radio York the offer will be withdrawn unless there is a decision by 30 April.

Partial restoration

Geoff Webber, leader of the Liberal Democrat opposition on Harrogate Borough Council, said the hall was now in real danger of being forgotten.

He said: "My personal view is that if we miss out on this �6m we will never again have the opportunity to access that kind of money for the restoration project.

"And that would mean eventually the Royal Hall would have to close, it would be moth-balled and it would just deteriorate from then onwards."

The lottery grant was originally based on a full restoration of Harrogate Royal Hall, which is estimated to cost �13.7m.

Listed building

But councillors say they cannot afford to increase their �2.6m contribution and are in talks with the Heritage Lottery Fund to agree a partial restoration scheme.

A spokeswoman said: "We are still in negotiations with Heritage Lottery and as soon as we are in a position to make a statement we will."

Lilian Mina, chair of the Harrogate Royal Hall Restoration Trust, accused the council of not being behind the project.

She said: "One can only suspect why [they are not] and that is that the council are trying to run this into the sand, which is a very, very sad day not only for the public and a public building but also for the nation."