A FAMOUS theatre in North Yorkshire is being preserved for future generations to enjoy thanks to a Darlington company.

High-level maintenance experts Stone Technical Services is carrying out preservation work at York Theatre Royal.

The theatre dates back to the 1700s and was built on the site of the medieval St Leonard’s Hospital, in St Leonard’s Place, in the city centre.

Due to the age of the building, a range of preservation and repair work is being carried out, including the installation of lightning protection to shield it from potential environmental damage and the refabrication of the theatre’s decorative cross.

Managing director Dave Stone said: “It’s absolutely vital that historically significant buildings like York Theatre Royal are restored and repaired to the highest specification so that they can be enjoyed for many years to come.”

Stone is also upgrading the lightning protection at the St Mary and St Joseph RC Church, in Pocklington, which is undergoing improvement work costing hundreds of thousands of pounds.

The two contracts are worth about £7,000 to the company.

At the moment, Stone employs 24 people and it is planning to continually grow its workforce throughout this year. This is as well as increasing its £2m turnover by 25 per cent.