Since opening in 1998, the £17m attraction has struggled to hit visitor targets;

A recently published Parliamentary Audit report said the centre - which last year was awarded a further grant of £700,000 - was over-funded.

A former manager at the centre has now been brought back to try to reverse the trend.

Jules Preston, who was a temporary chief executive at the Glass Centre, will oversee a redesign of the gallery in time for the main visitor season.

New 'dynamism'

He said the main battle would be to give people a reason to visit more than once.

"Once you have done the glass tour, and unless you have got people coming to visit and you want to take them to see the glass centre, there is no reason for the local person to go back," said Mr Preston.

"The only reason they would go back would be to see the exhibits, which are free.

"We need to create a whole new dynamism to encourage people to go back."

When the centre opened more than five years ago it was hailed as a celebration of Sunderland's heritage in the glass-making industry.