DECISION day is looming for the 100-year-old Royal Hall in Harrogate.

Closed after a ceiling collapse, the building has been the focus of a study by a firm of architects and engineers after crumbling concrete was discovered.

Results of the study, largely financed by a 75 per cent grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund, will be reported to the owner of the building, Harrogate Borough Council, next month.

The estimated restoration figure for the building has been put at more than £11m, but the study could reveal that more needs spending on the listed building.

The Royal Hall is operated at an arm's length from the council by Harrogate International Centre, which runs the district's exhibition and conference complex.

A spokesman for the International Centre said: "The Heritage Lottery Fund has indicated it will contribute £6m towards restoration with a maximum contribution from the council of £2.7m."

Meanwhile, a charitable trust, under the patronage of the Prince of Wales, has been established to raise £1m.

In a bid to cover any shortfall, the International Centre has submitted an applicaton to the regional development agency, Yorkshire Forward, for further cash. If the funding is in place, work may start next summer with completion two years later.

Among stars backing the project are actor Edward Fox, whose family come from Harrogate, and Sir Cliff Richard, who appeared at the Royal Hall with the Drifters and Wee Willie Harris in 1959.