Ambitious proposals to revamp Oswestry’s indoor market hall have been hit by news that the £50,000 prize which sparked the plans is not the cash sum that was expected.

The Powis Hall building, which houses the three-day-a- week market, won an online voting competition in The Times newspaper, by design company, My Deco.

But the company has now confirmed to Oswestry Town Council, which owns the market hall, that the £50,000 will be given in kind – the estimated cost of the advice from fashion guru, Sir Terence Conran and the materials.

Now the council says it will have to go out and look for more grants, to make up the shortfall of funding for the scheme.

Oswestry Town Council had hoped to start some of the work to the 1960s building at the top of Bailey Head early in the New Year.

It has matched funded what it had expected would be a £50,000 grant from My Deco.

“The intention had been to apply for building regulations and planning consent immediately and be in a position to undertake some works early in the New Year,” council clerk, Mr David Preston said.

The suggestions for the revamp from designer Sir Terence have been accepted by traders and other improvements have been included in the scheme by the town council.

These include the introduction of a lift, WiFi, improved lighting and heating, refurbished toilets and a new, disabled toilet.

The councillors and an architect is working with a quantity surveyor on detailed costings.

Town Mayor, Councillor Elaine Channon, said news that the My Deco prize would not be a cash sum was deeply disappointing.

“We will now have to look for other funding to make up the shortfall that we are now faced with,” she said.

“We will be applying for some funding from the new Market Towns Regeneration fund.”

The fund, which will be split between Shropshire’s market towns is a £3 million sum to boost the economy of the county.

Nobody from MyDeco was available for comment today.

By Sue Austin