Maldon Town Hall will be for all the community

The town council, which owns the new hall, hopes that it will open its doors to the public for the first time on Maldon Victorian Christmas shopping evening on December 3.

The new £642,000 hall replaces the demolished Jubilee Hall which stood on the same Market Hill site.

Now contractor FJ Capon is working to finish the hall on time. About 15 craftsmen are on site to make sure that the new building, with its airy rooms, wide staircase and pastel coloured walls, is completed on schedule.

Site manager is Peter Rainbird who has been working on the project since the crumbling Jubilee Hall was pulled down last year.

"We are very much at the finishing touches stage now," he said this week.

Plans for a new hall grew out of the local outcry when the old hall was closed, forcing many local groups to meet elsewhere.

Negotiations resulted in the town council taking over the site from Maldon District Council.

Now the new hall, with its red brick and yellow plaster facade, reflects many aspects of the old town's traditional streetscape in its design, with windows and facing work finding their echo in other buildings in the town centre.

Architect is Terry Wynn, who is based at the town's Hythe Quay and was also responsible for Maldon Town Football Club's new complex and the West Maldon community centre, who explained that the design of the new hall has been sensitive as it falls within the conservation area.

"We were very concerned that when it was finished it didn't look like a brand new building, we wanted it to fit in straight away.

"We think it does that. Above all we wanted the new Town Hall to be immediately very much part of the town centre scene. For that reason its front doors face up the hill, towards the High Street.

"The building contains many little architectural references that reflect and relate to the rest of the High Street.

"For the future I'd like to think that all the clubs and individuals who used to use the Jubilee Hall are going to come back to this hall. We hope it will become an integral part of community life."

Local input has been very important at all stages of the building of the new Town Hall.

Deputy Mayor Paul Rew said this has been deliberate policy throughout the project.

"It is a local hall and we tried to keep it local, to give the work where possible to local people and keep business within the town. This is very much a community and local effort."

The Town Council now hopes that the new hall, which will be officially opened in the spring, will win back all the local groups and clubs who used to use the Jubilee Hall.

Town clerk Helen Vincent said: "As the opening date gets closer we are getting excited.

"This will be Maldon's first town hall, the first real home for the town council and we expect it will play a major part in the community life of the town. The new premises has a 50 seat conference room and 230 seat theatre and stage, as well as proving exhibition space in its foyer and a permanent home for the town council.

Plans for the future include Saturday morning film shows for young people, photographic and art exhibitions, as well as offering the hall as a low-cost venue for local groups.

Already a time capsule - including a picture of the old Jubilee Hall, local maps and guides and an edition of the Essex Chronicle - has been buried within its walls.

Paul Rew said: "We believe this will be a huge asset for the town, that is why we were so enthusiastic about getting plans off the ground. This is quite simply the biggest venture we have undertaken as a town council.

"We hope the new Town Hall will be well supported by the local community.

" This is a brand new facility for Maldon and with the flexibility we can offer here we hope people will come back again and again."

The new is nearly ready....Maldon's new Town Hall.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.