A new plan for Hitchin Town Hall has been proposed to save the historic ballroom for community use. The scheme by Hitchin Initiative, on behalf of an alliance of community groups in the town, is to be considered on Thursday night by North Herts District

A new plan for Hitchin Town Hall has been proposed to save the historic ballroom for community use.

The scheme by Hitchin Initiative, on behalf of an alliance of community groups in the town, is to be considered on Thursday night by North Herts District councillors as an alternative to their plans for the Victorian hall.

In a report published today, the group support the council's intention to make part of the hall into a museum to hold the district collection, but propose a heightened Workman's Hall, rather than the Mountford Hall as the venue.

They also propose buying the neighbouring building at 14 Brand Street, demolishing it and creating "a widened, impressive access and foyer" to the building.

The report stated: "We believe that both of the above issues are fundamental and that the enhanced scheme we are proposing would enable much greater community involvement and for the complex to become financially viable and sustainable in to the long term."

The group propose creating a company to better manage the community use of the building, while leaving the running of a museum to the local authority.