THE renovation of Witney’s Corn Exchange has been welcomed by civic leaders after the building reopened following a three-year closure.

At the unveiling, which doubled as the town mayor’s ball, the redecorated interior of the Victorian building was revealed to more than 100 guests.

The Grade II listed building, which dates back to 1863, was closed down three years ago after a series of safety concerns.

After the £750,000 revamp, the building now boasts a grand foyer, decorated to make the most of the Victorian features.

A new ceiling has been fitted with the latest heating technology and there is new lighting in the main hall.

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The building is to become a new community hub, hosting events, exhibitions and concerts, with a cafe, exhibition spaces and meeting rooms that can be hired.

The reopening on Friday was marred by a plumbing problem which meant men had to use toilets in the nearby Langdale Hall.

But guests who attended were pleased with the revamp.

Aston resident Jenny Mills said: “Witney’s very short of meeting places so there’s going to be one more and that’s great.

“I think we’re lucky to have this and everything else that goes with it.”

Rebecca Jones, who runs the Fleece restaurant in Witney, said: “I think it’s lovely – I think it’s been a long time coming so we’re looking forward to being able to use it again.”

Witney resident Helen Loughborough added: “The centre’s absolutely beautiful – I’m so proud of it as a Witney citizen.”

Witney town councillor Peter Dorward added: “The aim was to turn it into a community hub and meeting place and a place where people can have the opportunity to display their artistic talents.

“I like the way the Corn Exchange spreads right out to the open space in Market Square at the front as this will help to draw people in.”

The council has faced opposition over its decision to sell the council-owned Langdale Hall to pay for the revamp of the Corn Exchange.

The sale was almost complete when it was delayed at Christmas after a bid by Witney Museum to register the hall as an asset of community value.

This gave the museum and any other community groups interested six months to drum up the money to buy the building.

Ian Petty, who is behind the museum bid, confirmed on Monday he is still looking for a large donation to help buy the hall by the June deadline.

Town clerk Sharon Groth said the council is expecting the sale to the original developers, who are yet to be confirmed, to go ahead in June.

It is expected the building will not be shut down but will remain open in some form.

Ms Jones added: “We’re having to make cutbacks on all sorts of things.

“So as long as there’s a focal point that everyone can still use, and nobody misses out, then you can put all your effort into one thing and make sure you do it well.”

Witney Dramatic Society member Margaret Hamm said she was concerned the Corn Exchange would not provide a theatre dedicated for performances.

The town council has appointed 10 trustees and an advisory group, which will take over the running in September.

More than £3,000 was raised from Friday’s grand opening for town mayor Jeanette Baker’s chosen charity, breast cancer fundraisers Coppafeel.

TIMELINE

1863: Building began on the Corn Exchange, commissioned by the private Corn Exchange Company, and was finished in 1864. It replaced a 16th-century building used in the 1850s as a corn returns office. It was used for social events and meetings as well as corn-dealing, and housed a number of clubs and societies.
1911: The Urban District Council bought the building and used it as its headquarters. The council used parts of it up to the 1960s.
Early 1970s: The building became dilapidated.
1976: The recently established Witney Town Council bought the building, refurbishing and reopening it in 1979 with rooms for hire.
1992: The building was remodelled when folding seating was installed on the ground floor.
November 2011: Witney Town Council was forced to close the building after a series of safety concerns became apparent
November 2014: Work to restore the building began.
December 2014: Witney Museum made a bid to have the Langdale Hall listed as an asset of community value. The council had to put the sale of the hall on hold and use money from other sources to complete the refurbishment of the Corn Exchange.
May 15, 2015: The Corn Exchange reopened for the mayor’s ball and grand unveiling.

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