内容摘要：and accused Beijing of becoming a "hegemonic power" in the region.

and accused Beijing of becoming a "hegemonic power" in the region.

"Trying to look after buildings of this age, trying to look after running costs - I don't think people appreciate how much it costs just to open the theatre every day."At Cornerstone, however, the mood is optimistic.

The venue has just been granted £405,000 from Community Infrastructure Levy funding to revamp its building."The building opened in 2008 and some parts are starting to show its age," community arts manager Daniel Harrison said."We're looking to completely revamp the cafe area, repurpose the box office and do some cosmetic improvements to the outside as well."

It is all part of South Oxfordshire District Council's upcoming Culture, Heritage and Creative Industries Strategy, run alongside Vale of White Horse District Council.Starting in summer 2026 and lasting four years, the project will work with the Arts Council, the National Lottery Heritage Fund and others to give a boost to the creative sector.

Tourism, the local economy and arts jobs are all in its sights.

Georgina Heritage, the authority's communities lead, said, "The strategy will enable us to have a four-year plan and set the vision for arts and culture, not just at Cornerstone but across the district."She said she enjoyed seeing many of her audiences come along to see her at events "because they read my books as children".

"The children are still keen but it's the mums that get really excited! It's like a sort of farewell tour that hopefully will go on."Despite having written more than 100 books, Dame Jacqueline said she still felt anxious when writing.

"Always about halfway through a book, even now, you think 'I've got the hang of this with all these books that I've written', but I get that terrible doubt and worry about it and and it's just something you learn. Work through it, get to the end."One habit that must help is that she writes in her pyjamas in bed, once she's fed the cat and let the dogs out first thing in the morning.