FROME Town Council expects to open its new-look town hall in a year’s time as the project has been agreed on and design work is under way on the £750,000 upgrade.
At a meeting in November, Frome town councillors agreed on an outline design and costings on the new Frome Town Hall.
The detailed designs are being worked on now and a contractor will be appointed in the spring for work to start on site in the summer. The grand opening will take place as soon as possible thereafter, and is likely to be in about 12 months’ time.
Town clerk Paul Wynne said, “On the outside the building looks a little tired, but is generally sound. We will be carrying out some work on the windows, roof and guttering over the next couple of months to make sure it is weather proof.
“The main body of the work will be on the inside, making a rather dated set of offices fit for the 21st century. We will install a lift and a ramp at the front of the building to ensure everyone can enter and move about the building freely. In addition, we need to update the wiring, heating and general decorations.
“We want everyone to know that this building belongs to the town, that it’s their town hall and that they can be proud of it. To achieve this we will need to invest. The cost of this work will be approximately £750,000.”
The town council will move its offices into the renovated building on Christchurch Street West, as well as making the site available for community use.
The refurbishment will be funded using money from the sale of the council’s current offices on Palmer Street and a £200,000 Government loan, as well as money from existing budgets and reserves.
