Hall made ready for its new council role (From Basingstoke Gazette)

Hall made ready for its new council role

10:00am Monday 20th August 2012 in Romsey

A £120,000 extensive refurbishment has begun at Crosfield Hall in Romsey, which will provide a permanent place for public council meetings in the south of the borough following the decision to close the town’s Duttons Road offices. Test Valley Borough Council has said work, which includes the installation of new lighting, flooring, enhanced acoustics and a new kitchen, as well as a re-decoration throughout, is set for completion in early September.

The hall, which opened in 1936, is currently host to community activities, social functions and sports and commercial events.

In June, TVBC members voted to sell off the authority offices at Duttons Road and buy the old magistrates’ court in Church Street, currently occupied by Hampshire Social Services, for use as a customer services unit.

Around 65 Romsey staff will be relocated to Andover’s Beech Hurst offices.

As part of the restructuring, intended to help save £1m a year, the Crosfield Hall will become the regular Romsey venue for council meetings.

TVBC leader, Ian Carr, said: “Crosfield Hall has served its local community well for the past 76 years and the time has come for it to be refurbished and refreshed.

“It is a wonderful venue and we hope that residents and visitors to the town will benefit from the many improvements to the facility.”

“The newly-refurbished Crosfield Hall, with its greater capacity, will provide the perfect venue to host all future council meetings.”

TVBC said it had not yet marketed Duttons Road for employment use for sale or rent and no final decision had yet been made on exactly when it expected to close the offices.