Valletta's Manoel Theatre is to become accessible to people with mobility issues, for the first time in its history.

Culture Minister Owen Bonnici told PN MP Ivan Bartolo that a lift has been installed to allow access to all floors of the historic Baroque-style theatre.

Right now, the lift is in the final stages of certification for use by the public, Bonnici said. The lift is equipped with a function that announces the floor it is on to facilitate access for people with disability, he added. 

For the first time in its 292-year history, all of the theatre's facilities will be accessible to all, Bonnici said.

Accessible bathrooms have also been installed on each floor of the theatre, as have escape chairs that he pledged will be regularly maintained. An escape chair allows people with mobility issues to be evacuated in case of an emergency. 

The theatre is believed to be Europe's third-oldest theatre that still hosts performances and the oldest theatre in operation in the Commonwealth of Nations.