The Royal International Pavilion in Llangollen, North Wales, is set to be refurbished after receiving £1m from the Welsh Assembly Government in a bid to secure the future of the Llangollen International Eisteddfod.

Denbighshire County Council (DCC) will also provide an additional £600,000 towards work to upgrade the structure of the venue, which attracts visitors and participants from all over the world as part of the annual cultural festival. Welsh heritage minister Alun Ffred Jones said: "The Eisteddfod pavilion lies at the heart of the efforts to build on the success of the festival to date. There is a need to repair the structure of the building and without this there might have been a threat to Eisteddfodau in the near future.

"Its flexible design allows for major concerts to be staged as part of the International Eisteddfod and has also been a key component in the efforts to bring a wider series of cultural events to Llangollen all year round." DCC lead member for regeneration, David Thomas, added: "Investing in the structure of the building is important if we are to continue to offer the best programme of activities in buildings that are safe and fit for purpose."