Renovation work at Yarm town hall to take five months

Yarm Town Hall had two arches bricked up in 1888 and the others in the 1930s

Restoration of an 18th Century town hall will take five months.

The work on the Grade-II listed building in Yarm, Stockton, starts on Wednesday and will see glazing replace bricks in the original arches.

A heritage centre will also be housed inside the building along with a meeting and education area.

The work is being paid for with £20m from the government's Levelling Up Fund, along with contributions from Stockton Council and Yarm Town Council.

New glazed windows will be part of the restoration works for Yarm Town Hall which dates from 1710

A bid for a National Lottery Heritage funding is being prepared to develop a heritage-based activity programme.

Councillor Nigel Cooke, cabinet member for regeneration and housing at Stockton Borough Council, said: "Bringing back the use of one of Yarm's most important buildings will allow it to be used for various purposes and it will also allow its original construction to be appreciated by both residents and visitors alike.

"I am looking forward to seeing our vision for Yarm Town Hall become a reality and how its improvement will benefit local businesses, as well as attract and educate new visitors to the area."

A number of car parking bays will be temporarily suspended while the work is carried out.

The new heritage centre is set to open in late spring.