A NEW chapter in the life of Basingstoke's reinvigorated Carnival Hall got off to a vibrant and colourful start.

The hall was officially re-opened earlier this year following a £100,000 refit. It had been closed since August 2002.

The Mayor of Basingstoke and Deane, Cllr Gerry Traynor, performed the reopening ceremony in front of a room packed with the many community groups that are set to make use of the centre.

The Basingstoke Hindu Society (BHS), which now runs the hall, also announced its arrival with the slogan "Bringing the carnival spirit back to the heart of Basingstoke".

In his address to the gathered audience, BHS vice chairman Vatsal Trivedi said: "It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to the hall.

"When Carnival Hall opened in 1964, it was very much in the heart of Basingstoke. We still believe the hall has much to offer. It's one of the best halls in Basingstoke, if not the South.

"The BHS will strive to bring Carnival Hall back to its former glory, when it played an integral part in the community."

The hall, in Council Road, was threatened with closure early last year because of the cost of refurbishment. However, successful lobbying persuaded Basingstoke council to keep it open and invest in it.

Council leader Cllr Rob Donnelly told the crowd: "This might not have come to fruition had it not been for all those sequence dancers who bullied me so mercilessly last year.

"It's great to see Basingstoke have a community hall like this. We all have very happy memories of the days when we had carnivals in Basingstoke.

"The Hindu Society has done an absolutely fantastic job. I don't think we can appreciate the man hours and the effort which has gone into getting the hall into the condition it is today. They are a very impressive bunch. I hope we get years of wonderful community spirit in the hall."

BHS secretary Rohit Amin said the hall was "for everyone in the community". He added that many local groups had already booked to use it, offering a wide range of classes.

However, among other things, he would like the hall to host an afternoon bingo session.

Anyone wanting more information about using Carnival Hall can call 01256 464031.