EIGHTY jobs are to be created at the North-East's newest theatre.

Gala Theatre, Durham City's £14m arts venue, will open in January as part of the Millennium City development.

Forty full-time and 40 part-time staff will be needed, including stage technicians, chefs, box office managers, stewards, finance assistants and bar staff.

Durham City Council leader Maurice Crathorne said: "The Millennium City development was driven in part by the wishes of Durham people.

"It is so rewarding to now be able to offer 80 new job opportunities for local people at Gala at the heart of Millennium City."

Durham City Town Hall will host a jobs fair on Thursday, from 10am to 4pm when the public will be able to find out about the opportunities on offer.

All staff chosen for the posts will be given a week-long induction and job-specific training. Starting dates continue from now until January 2002.

Rob Flower, general manager of Gala, said: "When the doors open in January it will be non-stop action seven days a week at Gala.

"I know all of our new employees will be well qualified and experienced in their chosen fields.

"However, we have to ensure they can deal with all sorts of situations which can crop up and that is where training is invaluable.

"It keeps confidence and motivation high from the first day by reinforcing a positive attitude and calm competence from each staff member, which all visitors should expect from Gala."

The theatre, named in honour of the Durham Miners' Gala, is the centrepiece of Durham City Council's Millennium City project, which will also include a library and tourist information centre.

The 550-seater hall will double as a conference centre and will be run by London theatre and event management firm, The Entertainment Team.

The theatre has attracted some of the country's leading playwrights and directors to its first season, which will open in January.

Game Plan and Flat Spin, written and directed by Sir Alan Ayckbourn, will be the first production, followed in May by Good Grief, written by Keith Waterhouse and directed by Ned Sherrin.