CONCERNS are rising over the condition of Whitchurch's Parish Hall and the difficulty of getting grants to carry out much-needed work.

Town councillor Irene Clark said new legislation means the hall needs to have a disabled access and toilets, which would mean demolishing the front of the hall and rebuilding.

She added the fire exit steps were in 'a shocking state'. And the boiler needs replacing but no money is available to carry out the repairs.

The problem is fuelled by the delays in building a new community centre in the town and the reliance on the Parish Hall until the new building is completed.

Town mayor Cllr Barry Jackman said: "We're looking at probably another two or three years before the new centre will be on line and we've got to make sure the Parish Hall stays open.

"We need to make sure what money is there is used to ensure it's usable for the foreseeable future."

But Cllr Ken Clark said the Parish Hall would not receive a lease until the repairs had been carried out - but no grants were available until they had a proper lease.

Borough councillor Alison Wall added the siting of the new centre, on the Silk Mill car park, is proving much more expensive than the previous site at Daniel Road because of the infrastructure under the ground.

She added the consultants were working on the exact position of the pipeworks to decide where the footprint of the building should go.

The town council is now writing to Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council to find out the situation with the new hall and the impact it is having on the problems with the Parish Hall.

Cllr Jackman said: "We've got to spend the funds that are sitting there to be used.

"The toilet facilities are atrocious and the kitchen is questionable whether that is up to health and safety standards.

"I don't think we need to take the front entrance apart, for the short term access for the disabled can be by a ramp."