DORSET’S economy will feel the benefit from the £5.5million being spent on transforming Poole’s Lighthouse, the venue’s chief executive has said.

The arts venue is closed while contractors work to refurbish key areas of the 38-year-old building.

It is the first substantial work done there since it reopened under the Lighthouse name after refurbishment 16 years ago.

Chief executive Elspeth McBain, who has been at Lighthouse for seven years, previously presided over the £125m overhaul of London’s South Bank Centre from 2005-07.

Work will include moving the entrance to the centre of the building, with the patterned glass exterior replaced with clear glass; refurbishing the mechanism for the Concert Hall’s moving floor; and transforming the Studio theatre, which will be used to develop new work.

Backstage facilities will also be upgraded and there will be a new air cooling and humidification system. The heat in the Concert Hall currently can take its toll on valuable musical instruments in the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra.

Ms McBain said the wider economy would benefit from the work. “We employ a lot of people. The cultural sector is a vibrant sector and it’s able to generate interest in this region,” she said.

“The work we’re doing to our learning sites and functions rooms will increase the ability for the building to be used as a conference room or facility, or just generally as an important place for business and the community to come together in a town.

“It’s so multi-faceted that it’s a community base in many respects. It’s not doing just great theatre or music, it’s about providing community resource.”

She said the venue had been looking to find other ways to generate revenue to compensate for local government grants.

The refurbishment is being project managed by Sweett. Design Engine of Winchester is the architect, Sustainable Acoustics of Winchester is the acoustician, RHB the mechanical engineering consultant. Poole company Stepnell is the main contractor and AKS Ward, of Southampton, is structural engineer.

The centre employs 35 full time staff, around 70 casual staff who are traditionally re-employed after a summer break and around 50 volunteers.