THE heart of old Weymouth will beat again thanks to plans designed to promote the town’s historical and cultural heritage.
The Chapelhay Community Partnership (CCP) has unveiled more details of its vision to bring the Grade II listed Old Town Hall of 1620 back to life as a community resource and transform the nearby gardens into a living history exhibition and performance space.
Support from the community has been overwhelming with people and organisations offering skills, time and materials.
Partnership members are about to sign a lease with Weymouth and Portland Borough Council so they can become the new ‘guardians’ of the hall in High West Street.
The council has been enormously supportive of the group’s aims, say the CCP, which intends to run the project as a not-for-profit social enterprise.
It is hoped to transform the upper hall into a heritage centre focusing on the Battle of Weymouth during the English Civil War in 1645.
The ground floor will adopt a new identity as a centre for arts and culture.
Although the target is to open fully by 2012 the hall will be made available as refurbishment work progresses. A launch party will take place soon with entertainment and displays.
The partnership has also applied for £5,000 of Arts Council funding to run Weymouth Carnival workshops led by local artists.
The refurbishment of the Old Town Hall will cost around £140,000 but CCP vice chairman Martin Hedley said it has been reduced thanks to support from a variety of tradesmen and professionals who will give their time for free. Sustainable grant funding is also being tapped.
He estimates the cost of the whole project to be £1.6 million and a number of avenues are being explored, including classifying the area as a historical battlefield site which would open up funding streams.
Mr Hedley said: “We are delighted with the positive feedback we have received so far regarding what we are trying to achieve and the level of volunteers who want to dedicate time.
“We are a concern developed by the community for the community and would like to hear from skilled volunteers.”
Contact Mr Hedley on 01305 770608 or email: martinjhedley@tiscali.co.uk
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