ABINGDON'S Guildhall will shut on August 31 for renovations and not reopen for at least a year.

Leader of Abingdon Town Council Sandy Lovatt said the building had to be closed as it was too costly to run.

But groups who use the hall said they were not aware of the closing date and were concerned at finding alternative venues.

Suleman Ibnmoosa, leader of Abingdon Muslims, said: "We are going to be stuck when it closes.

"There are lots of Muslims who work in Abingdon and sometimes we have as many as 150 people here.

"During the week, Muslim families in Abingdon pray above a shop, which is not going to be suitable for the number of people we get for Friday prayers."

Laurence Nagy-Beard, who teaches yoga twice a week in the hall, said: "I knew they had been thinking of closing it for some time but nobody told me that they had picked a date.

"I think I will struggle to find somewhere else in town as lots of places are too small for yoga and sometimes churches can be reluctant to allow yoga in their halls. It is very sad. I will really miss the venue and wouldn't want to go out of town."

Lyn Mistry, who runs 'Ruby's Vintage Fair', at the Guildhall said: "This has been on the cards for longer than we had been using the facilities but we thought it might be a bit further off into the future due to the usual style of local government procrastination and lack of money.

"It will be difficult to replicate the Guildhall's unique atmosphere and amazing location. We will perhaps look to somewhere close by like Witney. We don't want to move from Abingdon but I suppose we may have no choice."

Town Clerk Nigel Warner, said: "The Guildhall has kept in regular contact with its customers regarding the likely timescale and extent of works."

Lib Dem county councillor for Abingdon South, Neil Fawcett, said there is a worry that once these groups and businesses leave Abingdon, they may never return.

He added: "There is not enough money for the cinema and surely it would be better to use the money they have on improving the facilities the Guildhall already has and taking care of existing customers."

Mr Lovatt defended the closing of the hall, saying it had become a "white elephant".

He said: "Only 12 per cent of the Guildhall is currently utilised and it costs us £150,000 every year to operate and we only make £30,000. It's proving a very expensive white elephant."

Abingdon Town Council was given a grant of £1.2 million when it took over management from the district council in 2011. After spending some money on general maintenance, there is now little more than £1 million left to spend.

The town council's original plan to build a cinema was priced at £3.4 million pounds and attempts to bump up funds with a lottery grant have been unsuccessful.

Mr Lovatt said the refurbishment will now include installing retractable seating and unspecified 'cinema capabilities' as well as improving soundproofing, acoustics and disabled access to the building.

He says all of this should be possible within the budget of £1.2million. Work will not start on the facelift until after Christmas.

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