Save Market Hall call from Newport residents

The upstairs of the town's Market Hall has been unoccupied since an antiques business moved out in the late 1990s and the building has since fallen into disrepair.

It will cost at least £100,000 to bring the listed site, on The Square, back into use.

But the 154-year-old building's owners, the Newport Market Trading company, say such expenditure would not be viable as they would never get the money back from rent.

The Newport Town Team, which is trying to promote the town, is looking at the possibility of applying for Lottery funding to revamp the hall.

And the idea has been backed by the people of Newport, who suggested it would make an ideal cinema, craft stalls or a community room.

"I remember queuing up on Stafford Road on Wednesdays and Saturdays for the old one a long time ago. I know they tried to get a cinema going at Burton Borough School, but that was a bit out of the way.

"I think it would be well used."

Margaret Woodcock's daughter ran Amanda's Antiques Centre in the hall in the 1990s.

She said: "The ceiling was falling in then.

"There are so many different things it could be used as.

"It's got a beautiful sprung dance floor and Newport could do with a cinema.

"It could be a great facility, but how we get over the fact that it's privately owned, I don't know.

"There has to be a lot of discussion."

Gill Watkins, of Hampton Drive, said she would like to see a small community museum.

"It is such a shame that it isn't being used," she said. "The whole place needs doing up.

"It would be fantastic if we could have something like a museum, but that's not going to happen.

"I think they are going to struggle to raise the money."

"It would be nice if it could be something like they have in Shrewsbury – somewhere for a cup of coffee and a very small cinema. It has to be multi-functional. Perhaps it could be used for indoor sports as well or dance and Zumba classes.

"It's a cracking building which at the moment isn't being utilised to its full potential."

Sue Harris, a music teacher from Newport, said she would like to see it used for live performances.

She said: "Another performing space would be good. We've got nowhere in Newport with racked seating.

"There is nowhere to go to see drama or even a panto.

"I'd be happy if they got some public money if it's being used by the public."

And Diane Grigsby, a cake maker, said she wanted the space used for small craft shops.

"I think it would be great to see little crafty shops," she said.

"I also think we should have a farmer's market in there.

"It would give people a central point to visit."

The ground floor of the grand blue and white building is still used by shops and also hosts a twice-weekly market.

The Newport Market Trading Company says that it could only recoup about £8,000 a year in rent and admits that no renovation work is likely unless outside funding is found.