YEARS of hard work seem finally to be paying off for a community which suffered a double whammy when its two main businesses closed.

Sturminster Newton has scooped £341,000 from Liveability funding for a new community hall on the site of the redundant cattle market.

The town suffered a terrible blow seven years ago when the market closed - and the situation was compounded when the creamery closed three years later.

But SturQuest, the town's community development trust, never gave up the struggle to turn the market closure to the town's advantage.

It battled to get a planning application, which would regenerate the town, accepted by North Dorset District Council.

Now things look are looking up.

Spokesperson Hugh de Iongh said: "This funding has kicked off the project for the new community building in Sturminster Newton.

"This is an exciting project to put the heart back into Sturminster's old livestock market site with a community building which will have great hall facilities, a covered exhibition and market area, a community learning centre, town council and community offices and small start-up business units.

"We have secured the site, got planning permission and secured significant funding so far, but there remains a large gap and this Liveability grant will not only help fill the gap but also give the project a boost in securing other funding as well. It's great news."

North Dorset received £3.71 million from central government - one of only 27 authorities to secure Liveability funding.

Fund manager Hilary White said: "This is first major capital award that we have made through Liveability and we are delighted to be supporting such a high-quality project."

First published: October 19