A meeting will be held tonight at Hitchin Town Hall between council officers and users of the building who are concerned that plans to turn it into a museum will leave them out in the cold. North Herts District Council want to turn the late Victorian

A meeting will be held tonight at Hitchin Town Hall between council officers and users of the building who are concerned that plans to turn it into a museum will leave them out in the cold.

North Herts District Council want to turn the late Victorian building into a multi-purpose centre housing a district museum and space for community groups, but there has been strong opposition from users and community groups who are not convinced.

Their main concern is the loss of the ballroom, which would become the heart of a new museum. It is the largest secular community space in the town used for dances, beer festivals and wedding parties.

Leader of the council F J Smith insists that 80 per cent of current bookings can be accommodated in designs for a new district museum by renovating the current gymnasium and Lucas Room. Officers say the remaining 20 per cent the design could not accommodate is when both the ballroom and gymnasium are booked.

The meeting begins at 7.30pm.