ALCESTER Town Council has completed a 125-year lease of the town’s Greig Hall.
The lease has been granted by Stratford-on-Avon District Council to enable the building to be reopened as a community and arts centre.
Town clerk Vanessa Lowe said: “The acquisition of the Greig Hall has been an ambition of the town council for many years.
“We are thrilled to finally get the keys to the building. It has been a real team effort and we would like to thank Stratford District Council and all the town and district councillors who have worked so hard to make this happen.
“We are particularly grateful to Friends of the Greig Hall who, by running their Home2Home shop, have donated £75,000 towards the redevelopment of the hall.”
Church Street Property Trust also donated a bumper £25,000 towards the project.
Sheilagh Goode, of The Friends of the Greig Hall, said: “We are delighted the hall is finally being returned to the people of Alcester.
“It will be run by the people of Alcester for the people of Alcester. There is amazing enthusiasm and great affection for the hall and we know that together we can make it a major part of the community again.”
Mayor of Alcester, Coun Gill Forman, added that a lot of work needs to be done to bring the hall into the 21st century, but that he is confident locals will support the project.
“I am delighted we have finally managed to secure the building for the people of Alcester,” he said.