Hitchin Town Hall plans go before public

PLANS for the future of an historic town hall will be the focus of a public meeting tonight (Wednesday).

Two schemes to convert Hitchin Town Hall into a district museum for North Herts will be displayed and discussed at The Sun Hotel in the town from 7pm.

Both plans aim to make the Victorian building a multi-purpose one, to hold the district collection currently in the Hitchin and Letchworth museums, while still retaining space for community events.

The original �3.4m scheme for the building, proposed by North Herts District Council would convert the ballroom into a museum space over two floors. A later, more expensive plan, drawn up in response by action groups would save the ballroom by expanding the size of the building to create enough room for the collection.

The plans have both been drawn up by the council's chosen consultant for the project, Buttress Fuller Alsop Williams in conjunction with council officers.

Keith Hoskins, manager of Hitchin Initiative which has led the community plan, said they are still on course to apply for funding for the project in May from the Government Community Builders Trust and was hopeful the community would be positive about the consortium's plans.

District councillors, who will choose the final design, will make their decision this summer (no date has yet been fixed) after a full business plan for each has been prepared.

A request by action group, Keep Hitchin Special, to have the building listed is still being considered by English Heritage.