A key part of Wrexham’s cultural history will take pride of place in the town’s new arts hub.

The old Hippodrome light has been undergoing restoration over the past two years and now it has been confirmed the light will be hung in Ty Pawb when it opens in April next year.

Graham Lloyd, of Wrexham History, has been working hard behind the scenes to restore the light to its former glory since September 2015.

He said the light would hang in the south mall of Ty Pawb following discussions with creative director Jo Marsh, curator James Harper, Wrexham Council and Wynne Construction.

The Hippodrome entertained Wrexham audiences from the 1910s until its closure in 2008.

The Art Deco lamp is a familiar fixture of the building, which burnt down in June 2008.

It is believed the light was built some time between 1935 and 1937, and was bought for the Wrexham theatre after the Gaumont Palace cinema in Anfield, Liverpool, was refurbished in the 1960s.

It stayed at the Hippodrome until just before its closure in 2008, when many fixtures and fittings were sold.

The Hippodrome was the last of Wrexham’s five music halls, which also included the Majestic, now the Elihu Yale, and the Empire on Chester Street, which is now the Saith Seren.

The theatre was built on the site of a former public hall which burnt down in 1909, and Wrexham Hippodrome Ltd was formed in 1913.

Famous faces which took to the stage at the Hippodrome included Gracie Fields, Ken Dodd and legendary music hall staple Arthur Askey.

The death knell was sounded for the Hippodrome with the opening of the Odeon on Plas Coch in 1997 and it closed in the autumn of that year, reopening briefly over the Christmas season.

The building then stood empty for more than 10 years, while campaigners, including comic Ken Dodd, pushed for it to be given listed building status. It was unsuccesful.

On June 16, 2008, the building suffered a huge fire – just three days after the funeral of Barry Flanagan, the cinema and theatre's final manager.

Deputy leader of Wrexham Council, Cllr Hugh Jones, said: “We’re very pleased to be able to confirm that the Art Deco light formerly installed at the old Hippodrome will take pride of place in the South Mall as part of Ty Pawb.

“We wanted to pursue this as an option after we received strong feedback from the public, saying they wanted to see the old light moved to Ty Pawb.

“We know that a lot of people in Wrexham have very fond memories of the Hippodrome, and recall the light as one of its most prominent features – as such, we’re glad to be able to link Wrexham’s past with its future by having the light at Ty Pawb.

“I would also like to thank Mr Lloyd at Wrexham History for his help with this project.”