The opening of Aberdeen's revamped Music Hall has been delayed until 2018.

The 194-year-old venue's £6.7m upgrade was scheduled to be finished in December 2017.

But now the building is not expected to be ready until spring 2018 and will not open until autumn.

Aberdeen Performing Arts (APA) only struck a deal with contractors Kier Construction in July, four months after the Music Hall closed its doors.

A spokesman for APA said: "The Music Hall transformation began as planned in April 2016 and there are several months of preparation on site before construction can begin.

"We've been decommissioning the building and moving staff out, gone through a lengthy public procurement process to appoint contractors, appointed construction project managers, undertaken investigative work to minimise risk before we go on site and we've been applying for permits for the site compound.

"Contractors will be on site at the end of this month undertaking final survey work and we hand the building over to them on October 10."

The improved Music Hall will include a new-look auditorium, a 100-seat performance space and a new cafe and bar.

APA has so far raised about £5.2m towards the cost of the project, including £1.5m from Creative Scotland and £1m from Aberdeen City Council.