A POPULAR community hall in Nailsworth is set to be given away by the town council.

The authority wants to hand over the old town hall building to new owners before it can start work on the new facility in Forest Green.

There have been resignations and rows over the new hall but the council has shown its intention to press on with the project by picking a builder.

"With the planned building of a permanent community hall for residents of Forest Green, the temporary hall will become redundant," said mayor Norman Kay.

"The town council will give it free-of-charge to a community group once work starts on the permanent hall, probably in the early summer.

"Nailsworth Town Council is inviting groups to write to the clerk by the end of March to apply for the building."

It has chosen a contractor, which it cannot name yet but anger remains at the cost of the project and whether there is a need for it.

The town council says it has consulted properly on it but its detractors believe it has been forced through and are upset that £300,000 of the £650,000 scheme will come from a former mayor Frank Arkell's £400,000 bequest.

Resigned

The new hall will have four designated car parking spaces, though the council is seeking to use parking spaces at the nearby primary school.

Two town councillors, John Bratby and Alan Wheeler, resigned over the issue and 10 residents called for a by-election.

Nominations closed on Friday, February 26. Three candidates have put their names in the hat – Gail Smith and Ashley Fudge have been confirmed.

Village Inn landlord Oisin Hawes was also strongly considering standing. Mr Fudge's wife Lorraine, said she did not have a problem with a hall as such, but questioned the need to spend so much money and whether it had enough parking spaces.

She has tackled the town council over the issue but feels resigned to it going ahead.

"Considering they don't have all the money for the new community hall it seems to be at odds to just give this one away," said Mrs Fudge.

"There is a necessity for a hall there."

She said there would not be enough car parking spaces.

"There would be four spaces, for 170 people and it's costing £650,000," she said. "I cannot see how that is justifiable."

Mrs Smith said: "I'm not quite sure of the motive behind it. I am staggered at the amount of money they want to spend."

Preference for the temporary hall will be given to groups situated in the Nailsworth area, but others are welcome also to apply.