Multi-million revamp of hall on the cards

The tender for refurbishing Newtown Market Hall will go out in December, with traders expected to move out by the end of February or beginning of March for work to start

The project will be funded by the Welsh Assembly as part of its facilities and activities programme and also by the Big Lottery Fund. More than £1.8 million of lottery funding has already been secured.

The market hall had been under the threat of closure until plans were drawn up to renovate it in 2009.

A year earlier the building's owners, Powys County Council, said it could no longer afford to maintain it.

Petition

Hundreds signed a petition calling for it to be kept open and the £3 million plan was launched to save the market hall.

Last year the Heritage Lottery Fund gave the Mid Wales Food and Land Trust £790,300 towards the work.

The High Street facade will be refurbished and a mezzanine floor built to provide office space for local producers and businesses.

A report to Powys County Council's Montgomeryshire Committee from the market's committee yesterday said: "John Evans, chairman of the Mid Wales Food and Land Trust, updated the committee on the progress of the grant.

"It was stated that they had secured £1.8 million in lottery funding and that they were waiting for a decision on a further £1 million from the Welsh Government, who had engaged Price Waterhouse Cooper to do a consultation on the project.

"Mr Evans was positive of a good outcome and thanked Powys County Council for all their support."