A £120,000 project to improve Worcester's Commandery has been finalised by council chiefs.

Worcester City Council's Labour leadership has agreed to sink the cash into fabric repairs, renewed fire protection and fresh decorating after getting a specialist to examine the building's condition.

The spending, which the Worcester News first revealed was on the cards last week, comes at a time when bosses want to earmark £260,000 towards improving the visitor offer inside the venue - with some details now emerging for the first time into the proposals.

But that will only go ahead once the condition of the tourist attraction's actual building is brought up to scratch.

Speaking during a cabinet meeting Councillor Joy Squires, the deputy leader, said: "It will be a cornerstone, really, in the development of the overall visitor offer in the city.

"This is a very, very old but very important building and it is quite a sum of money, but we've had a specialist piece of work done and that is the cost.

"It (the extra £100,000 spend) will help us with the decoration, fabric repairs and the fire precautions, which is all very important stuff."

Councillor Roger Berry, the cabinet member for history and heritage, said: "Clearly this is a responsibility we have as owners and the landlords of a Grade I listed building.

"I'm quite confident that by next month we'll be coming forward with a new report on the new visitor offer, and clearly we've got to do this work before we can start on any of that."

A report published for the attention of the cabinet revealed some of the ideas being advanced under the £260,000 overhaul of the visitor experience.

There are four phases under active consideration, including a series of linked garden wing displays telling the story of Worcester's part in the English Civil Wars, the key historical figures and the significance of the conflict in helping shape our parliamentary democracy.

Under that move, the façade of the building would be enhanced by a display of pikes above the gates which would be opened to provide a new entrance into the courtyard. A new 'Commandery Civil War study centre' would also be established including a library.

With phase two, a new light and projection display would be placed in the Great Hall to introduce the significance of the Commandery to visitors plus the story of the visit of US Presidents John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, in rooms overlooking Fort Royal Park.

Other phases would include a new cafe, exhibition rooms and a interpretation plan concentrating on Medieval and Tudor Worcester.

To beef up the council's £260,000 a bid has been made for additional Heritage Lottery Fund money, with a response expected in October before the ideas are advanced further.