CONGLETON Borough Council is to take back control of Congleton's civic centrepiece just 12 months after handing over its running to a trust.

Congleton Town Hall was taken over by a new trust last summer amid work on a much-heralded revamp for the under-used, loss-making building.

Trust members have increased the use of the hall four fold in the past year, but have been faced with a series of financial headaches.

The brasserie opened three months later than expected, scaffolding has affected visitor numbers, and the revamp has been followed by a dramatic hike in the hall's rates bill.

The trust made a loss in its first year despite staging 256 events, compared with 70 in the 12 months before it took over its running.

In addition the administrative and financial side of running the hall has become too great for the trust, which is headed by chairman Emrys Thompson.

As a result Congleton Borough Council, which owns the hall, is to take over its direct management next month, with the building being run by a joint committee made up of councillors, community representatives and trust members.

While having an input into the committee the trust will concentrate on promoting the building as a cultural, social and commercial focus for the town.

"The whole administrative and financial side has become too big for a voluntary group to look after, and has not been working as well as we hoped it would,'' said Mr Thompson.

"As a voluntary group we are better at the community side, and have been highly successful in that respect.

"A combination of circumstances have got us into this position, and we agreed that separating the running of the hall between us and the council was the best action."

The level of income the hall had brought in over the past 12 months had been a contributory factor in seeking to change the way the building was run, he added.

"The opening of the brasserie was delayed, and missed the November and December trade," he said.

"We were hoping to open in September or October to catch the Christmas trade, but did not open until January. In addition the scaffolding on the town hall has affected trade in the brasserie, and we have lost several events because of people deciding not to book."

Borough council leader Linda Short said the new joint arrangements were well proven in the management of other borough council amenity and leisure facilities, and would best serve the community in the future development of the town hall.

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