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Inside the Town Hall - lots of work but it will work!
(August 22, 2010)ONLY those who are aged 60 and over can recall Warminster Town Hall in its full splendour but strong echos of its grandeur still resonate in almost every corner of the 1830s building's interior.
From its high ceilings with massive cornice finishings to the grand ballroom with its 
minstrels' gallery (pictured below) upstairs this building has the hallmarks of an age grander than our own.
But if we are to recapture some of Warminster's past glory then we, the present generation of townsfolk, will have to come together put in the work and effort, and indeed money, to restore the building - the town's second most important after the Minster church.
Those who argue for spending huge sums on the Assembly Rooms really will seem quite bonkers once the populace has the opportunity to view the cleaned up interior on 10 and 11 September during the heritage weekend.
The team from WETS entered the building on Sunday 23 August to make a start on the work of cleaning up the mess left inside by previous occupants and the pigeons in preparation for the public viewing.
Thanks to the efforts of George Jolley and Chris March, who have been working on this project with the Civic Trust, things are going forward with local
businesses Warminster Glass and Northwood both making useful sponsorship offers to help in maintaining momentum.
Steve Dancey said: ''For me this opportunity to get a full picture was
an eyeopener.
''I had previously been inside the building to visit the offices at the front and cells below when it was known as the Turnkey restaurant.
''But I had never been upstairs to the ballroom. (pictured above)
''This is a splendid room which could be restored to provide Warminster with a facility of which it could be justly proud.''
*STEVE Dancey and Paul Macdonald have each pledged £100 towards the Civic Trust's plan for the Town Hall.
''I'm very keen to register public support for this project as the Trust has a good track record of achievement in this field,'' said Steve. For Civic Trust click HERE
Below - The former Magistrates' Court room & plaster moulded cornicing plus a rare view of the High Street.
From its high ceilings with massive cornice finishings to the grand ballroom with its minstrels' gallery (pictured below) upstairs this building has the hallmarks of an age grander than our own.But if we are to recapture some of Warminster's past glory then we, the present generation of townsfolk, will have to come together put in the work and effort, and indeed money, to restore the building - the town's second most important after the Minster church.
Those who argue for spending huge sums on the Assembly Rooms really will seem quite bonkers once the populace has the opportunity to view the cleaned up interior on 10 and 11 September during the heritage weekend.
The team from WETS entered the building on Sunday 23 August to make a start on the work of cleaning up the mess left inside by previous occupants and the pigeons in preparation for the public viewing.
Thanks to the efforts of George Jolley and Chris March, who have been working on this project with the Civic Trust, things are going forward with local
businesses Warminster Glass and Northwood both making useful sponsorship offers to help in maintaining momentum.Steve Dancey said: ''For me this opportunity to get a full picture was
an eyeopener.''I had previously been inside the building to visit the offices at the front and cells below when it was known as the Turnkey restaurant.
''But I had never been upstairs to the ballroom. (pictured above)
''This is a splendid room which could be restored to provide Warminster with a facility of which it could be justly proud.''
*STEVE Dancey and Paul Macdonald have each pledged £100 towards the Civic Trust's plan for the Town Hall. ''I'm very keen to register public support for this project as the Trust has a good track record of achievement in this field,'' said Steve. For Civic Trust click HERE
Below - The former Magistrates' Court room & plaster moulded cornicing plus a rare view of the High Street.