Work on bringing Dawley Town Hall back to life begins
[gallery] The £140,000 refurbishment to bring historic Dawley Town Hall back into use was launched today.
Newport firm KRM Contractors has won the bidding process for the contract to get the hall up to standard to be used for public events.
Work was today starting to refurbish the whole building, from top to bottom. It should be ready by December, when it will be available for booking.
Diane Morris, project officer for the hall refurbishment, said: "KRM is going in to do everything that needs doing.
"That's the flooring, the ceiling, heating, lighting, creating an office and reception area and storage.
"This is the part of the work which is going to make the hall usable by the community."
The work is due to be completed during December and bookings are being taken for events in 2014.
Ms Morris added: "We have got our first wedding booked for September next year, which is fantastic."
She said Telford-based IT company Capgemini had booked the hall for corporate events and Telford College of Arts and Technology was interested in running courses there.
"We are also hoping to run health programmes and there will be a variety of community activities," she added.
The project team will be in the bandstand on Dawley High Street on Friday, while the market is on, promoting the hall and to highlight that it is now available to book for weddings, Christenings, birthday parties and other family celebrations, as well as community events.
Already booked in for the new year is the return on line dancing classes with Paul and Madeleine Jones every Tuesday evening and ballroom and Latin dancing every Friday evening with Kevin Fletcher.
Top Drawer Soul nights are also booked for four events, and the hall has this month been named as a venue for the Royal Shakespeare Company's Open Stages project, which will see the newly-formed Dawley Town Hall Players working with professionals from the world-famous company to produce their own version of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar.
The hall fell into disrepair after standing empty for several years, but has been regenerated largely thanks to the efforts of the Friends of Dawley Town Hall community group.
Once completed, the hall will also become the home of Great Dawley Town Council.
For more information about events or activities at Dawley Town Hall, or to make a booking, e-mail dawleytownhall@gmail.com or call Diane Morris on 07712 735554.
