THEATRE fans will be sitting pretty thanks to a £350,000 revamp of one of Glasgow's oldest venues.

THEATRE fans will be sitting pretty thanks to a £350,000 revamp of one of Glasgow's oldest venues.

The 105-year-old A-listed King's Theatre in Bath Street reopens today after the first part of a £7.2million facelift.

Almost 1000 seats in the stalls and grand circle have been replaced and the theatre has been closed for eight weeks.

But audiences will now be treated to the best view ever - because the new seating is laid out in a staggered "continental style", with no central aisle, which means no more complaints about not being able to see.

King's development manager Susannah George said: "It's very impressive. The seats are beautiful. They are a dark mahogany-style wood and the style and the colour has been designed in association with Historic Scotland to get the closest we can to the colour they originally were."

The new seats also offer extra leg room and in preparation for the next phase of work which will include new air conditioning, special air vents have been fitted underneath.

The heat in the auditorium and cramped seats - which have been there since the 1950s - were the biggest complaints from theatre-goers.

But some of them helped pay for the work.

A seat dedication scheme has so far seen 60 people donate up to £450 to have a special plaque inscribed and placed on their favourite seat.

And King's panto stars Gerard Kelly, Karen Dunbar and Andy Gray have all been given one.

Susannah said: "Karen has put A seat for all who trudge the road' and Gerard has dedicated his to Ricky Fulton and Jack Milroy, the Kings of the Kings'- for the Francie and Josie actors."

Plus, a special dog even has his own seat.

As reported in the Evening Times, pensioner Doris Sofio from Milngavie, bought one in memory of her Cairn Terrier Jenny who once starred as Toto in the Wizard of Oz at the theatre.

Glasgow City Council has put £800,000 towards the cost of the six-year long upgrade plus cash is being raised with a £1 levy on each ticket.

Work including the installation of a new stage and lights plus returning the former grand saloon bar to its former splendour will be completed in time for the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

The first show to be enjoyed from the new seats is children's classic, Roald Dahl's the BFG which runs from today until Saturday.

Tickets cost £10 - £16.50. Call 08448 717 648 or visit www.ambassadortickets.com/glasgow