The Royal Shakespeare Company, which has been without a London base since it left the Barbican, was today close to finding a new home in the capital.
The Albery theatre in St Martin's Lane, in the heart of London's Theatreland, has emerged as "one of the frontrunners" for the company, which made the controversial decision to leave its City home in 2002.
An RSC spokesman confirmed the company was in the final stages of negotiations with the Ambassadors Group, which owns theatres including the Albery, Comedy, Piccadilly, Duke of York's and Wyndhams.
Sir Richard Eyre, former artistic director of the National Theatre, said the move to the Albery would be a positive step. "It's very well situated, and a nice theatre," he said.
But an RSC spokesman said: "No contract has been signed - and we have been at this stage with other theatres before." An announcement will be made at the end of the month. The RSC had objected that the Barbican was not close enough to bars and restaurants.
