Picture by Baart Harries Newall
This is the first view of what the newly-refurbished Wem Town Hall will look like, which has been exclusively revealed to the Chronicle this week.
The plans and artist impressions from Shrewsbury-based architects Baart Harries Newall show a gallery, community theatre space, circular reception, bar and projection room.
Staff at the town’s Thomas Adams School are working together with Wem Town Hall Community Trust to reopen the hall in a £350,000 project, and it is hoped work will begin as early as April.
It is planned the town hall will be a warm, inviting and welcoming place for visitors. It has also been designed to be a venue for coffee mornings, social events, art programmes and more.
Members of staff at Thomas Adams School said the aim of the development was to provide a resource that works for the town and for the surrounding areas.
Sue Gainsborough, from Thomas Adams, said: “We did quite a lot of consultation with the local community and received a lot of positive feedback.
“We want it to be accommodating to young people and families. The key thing is making sure it will be a friendly, inviting and welcoming area to all of the community.
“We also want it to have improved access for wheelchair users.”
Wem Town Hall, which was shut in 2005, opens just once a week for an indoor market.
The move was met with anger by residents and community groups and in November 2005 the Chronicle launched its Hall or Nothing campaign.
On Tuesday district council cabinet members agreed to sell the town hall for just £1 to Shropshire County Council so the building can be transformed into a thriving facility for the whole community.
Cabinet members also placed a covenant on the building ensuring it can be used only for the community as well as giving £15,000 raised through efficiency savings from the previous budget.
Mrs Gainsborough said: “The cost of the plan is in the region of £350,000 but we are not suggesting doing anything that doesn’t need to be done.
“We hope work will begin in April, with the building opening in the summer.”
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