BROADWAY'S Village Events Group is moving operations to Evesham Arts Centre after a fallout between Lifford Hall Trust members.

Village entertainment organisers, Dave Smith and treasurer Richard Prater resigned from the Lifford Hall Trust last month after being upset by criticism levelled at them.

Now instead of putting on entertainment exclusively at the Lifford Hall, they are branching out to Evesham.

However, they still feel obligated to hand over most of the profits of any entertainment they stage to pay off the loans due on the Lifford Hall after its restoration.

Mr Smith said: "After the story in the Journal about our resignations, we were approached by the Evesham Arts Centre organisers to bring our shows to the town.

"Some of the big names we get such as Marty Wilde may be better on the Evesham Arts Centre Stage than the Lifford Hall, so we have decided to stage a trial show on November 16 with Joe Brown and his Bruvvers.

"We will be paying to book the Arts Centre and most of our profits will still go towards the Lifford Hall fund, but we will also feel free to donate money to other good causes. We will also continue to put shows on at the Lifford, at least for the next few years."

Chairman of the Lifford Hall Trust, Joy Stock said: "We wish them all the best in their venture, and are grateful that they will continue to raise money for the Lifford Hall because we need them. They have worked very hard in the past to raise the money for the restoration."

The Lifford Hall cost nearly half a million pounds to restore and refurbish. Work started on the project in 1999 after four years of fundraising.

The listed building was built in about 1915 but slipped into disrepair. The majority of the funding to restore it came from the Heritage National Lottery Fund, and Wychavon District Council.