CHESTER'S Storyhouse is ready to come back with a bang, presenting its biggest summer event programme yet.

Having been forced to stay shut since lockdown kicked in on January 4, the culture hub is getting ready to host hundreds of events around the city centre venue when Government restrictions allow.

Currently, the lockdown roadmap says outdoor cinemas and theatres would be allowed to operate from May 17, barring any delays.

As a result, Storyhouse is planning to open its acclaimed Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre earlier than normal and as early as May 22, while the Moonlight Flicks open air cinema will also run from the May half term at Chester Cathedral’s Dean’s Field, along with other flagship venues in the region including Wirral’s Claremont Farm.

Andrew Bentley, Storyhouse’s CEO, said: "Spring is finally here and looking back we’ve had about as good a year as we could manage.

"The difference has been the incredible help from our community, including over 5,000 who have joined as members and as regular donors. We’ve raised over £2.5m in this last year to keep us afloat.

"This support is still crucial to our survival and we are so thankful. We brought some joy at Christmas and now we are about to embark on our longest summer ever."

Alex Clifton, Storyhouse’s artistic director, said: "We're launching a summer of festivity, joy and healing - together in the sunshine - a real summer of love.

"We're planning a barn-raising, together-again party with the roof off. Plays and movies and family activities: all of us together in the city’s parks and open spaces, loving our city, and reconnecting with each other, in the summer sunshine."

Last year, Storyhouse was arguably the county’s busiest cultural venue in lockdown, staging a series of drive-in cinema screenings and open-air cinema at venues across the region and was one of the only theatres in the UK to produce a full-size live theatre production in the summer months.

Its version of A Christmas Carol ran successfully for four weeks and reached audiences in 14 countries and four continents online.

Full details of the programme will be announced in the coming weeks and will be on sale first to Storyhouse Card members.

All existing bookers for Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre will be contacted as soon as dates are announced.

Membership for Storyhouse is £4 a month, and you can cancel at any time.

Find out more at storyhouse.com