BOURNEMOUTH'S Pavilion needs an urgent cash injection of £200,000 just to keep it open.

Council officers have voiced "grave concern" that the building could close if the money is not spent.

The news comes after it was revealed that the venue needs

£9 million to secure its long-term future.

An inspection by Dorset's deputy chief fire officer recently uncovered problems with the Pavilion's ducting.

Another survey, by Bournemouth Borough Council's own officers, found major rewiring was needed to comply with licensing requirements.

Each of the two jobs will cost around £100,000.

A report to the council's BIC/Pavilion management committee next week warns: "It is essential that the above works be undertaken as a matter of urgency in order to satisfy the fire officer and building control.

"If the necessary works are not undertaken there is grave concern that the necessary licences will not be reviewed and as such the Pavilion will be non-operational."

Cllr Michael Filer, vice-chairman of the committee, said: "Recently it's been brought to our attention that there were serious problems in the Pavilion and the last thing we want to do is to have any risk of danger to staff or the public.

"As soon as we heard that work needed to be done, attention was being given to it.

"The Pavilion was built in 1929 and is an elderly building. It's known that substantial work will have to be done to the whole complex shortly and we want to be sure that whatever work done in the immediate future is not replicating work to the structure as a whole."

He said the public were not in any danger but added: "If the work is not done, the theatre will close."

Earlier this year, councillors agreed to spend £80,000 patching up Bournemouth's Winter Gardens to ensure it stayed open next year.

The concert hall needs £6 million in the medium term.

Meanwhile, officers are calling for £150,000 to be put into a rolling repair fund for the BIC. The flagship centre will only have £6,000 in the bank for repairs and renewals by next April.