Chester's Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre is enjoying a record year of advance ticket sales, with figures three times ahead of 2013 for the popular season of theatre.

The season programme for 2014 features Macbeth, The Comedy Of Errors and a new adaptation of The Secret Garden and will see the Grosvenor Park Company perform 50 shows across eight weeks in the summer.

With 10 weeks to go until the opening night on July 4, organisers Chester Performs have announced more than 6,000 advance tickets have been sold - 30% of the overall capacity and up 300% on last year, which saw 16,000 theatregoers take in a play in the park.

This is the fifth consecutive year of increased revenue from ticket sales, as customers choose to buy in well in advance rather than risk missing out.

Andrew Bentley of Chester Performs said: “The figures pay testament to the quality and enduring popularity of our unique open air theatre.

“Our audiences trust that the shows will be as entertaining as in previous years.

“People have to be careful how to spend their disposable income - they want a guarantee that they’re going to have a good time, and clearly they think our theatre will deliver.

“We are thrilled, but there’s still a lot of work to do.”

Organisers believe the boosted sales are down to a number of factors - the inclusive pricing structure means families can take under 12s for free, plus there are limited free tickets for teenagers; 23% more under fives tickets have been sold compared with last year.

More than 500 VIP seats have been added for this season, an increase of 50% on previous years.

Covered seats continue to act as an incentive for advance bookers, as theatregoers needn’t worry about the threat of rain.

The Secret Garden is already proving extremely popular with nearly 35% of its tickets already sold, and the opening Saturday matinee completely sold out.

The results are also positive for the tourism sector as 39% of bookers will travel from outside of the city.

Tickets priced between £18 and £37.50 can be bought online at www.grosvenorparkopenairtheatre.co.uk by calling 0845 241 7868 or by visiting Chester Tourist Information Centre, Northgate Street.