7:00am Sunday 30th November 2008
By Nigel Kerton
Proposals to give the front of the town hall in Marlborough a facelift as part of new disabled access plan, could now go ahead because of a grant from Kennet.
However, the town council will have to dig deep into its reserves to find the money to match fund the grant the district council has offered towards improving the 105-year-old building.
Initially the town council considered putting the district council grant towards turning the town hall basement into a visitor centre, but because of a lack of funds, that scheme has had to be shelved.
A working group led by Coun Rich Pitts has come up with a scheme to provide disabled access to both the front and side entrances together with glass inner doors at the main entrance.
Architect Andrew Bumphrey was asked to come up with improvements that would fit the £100,000 budget and came up with several ideas including those preferred by the councillors.
Neither entrance to the town hall allows access by the disabled. There are several steps at the front and a small step with a narrow pavement hindering wheelchair access to the north door.
Mr Bumphrey has designed a ramp from the pavement on the north side of the town hall main doors leading to an apron level by the door, with the ramp hidden behind a planter.
For the side entrance he has proposed reducing the floor level inside the doors with a gentle slope into the entrance hall. All the previous solutions have involved raising the pavement.
For years the council has considered improving the town hall access for the disabled.
Coun Stewart Dobson said: “We have all been most anxious that we should have proper disabled access to the hall.”
Coun Francis described the proposals as an enterprising and forward looking scheme.
Councillors have now agreed to press ahead with seeking consent for the proposals and getting work under way.
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