VOTING has begun to find the UK's Most Welcoming Theatre in 2018 and Darlington Hippodrome is in the running.

This year there are more than 175 venues across the country competing to take home the title. The 12 Regional and National winners of the vote will be announced next month and the overall winner will be announced at the UK Theatre Awards on Sunday, October 14.

This year's ceremony will again take place at London's historic Guildhall.

Julian Bird, chief executive of UK Theatre, said: “Most Welcoming Theatre is a chance for audiences to celebrate their local theatre and for venues to shout about the incredible work they are doing day in day out. Theatres are the backbone of communities across the country and this campaign highlights the vital work they do”

The winners of this year’s award will be decided by a public vote which closes on Tuesday, September 18 and votes can be cast at uktheatre.org/vote.

Visit www.darlingtonhippodrome.co.uk for details about the theatre.