Major repairs are being carried to Felixstowe’s main civic and community hub to protect it for the future.

The Town Hall has been home to the town council since local government reorganisation in 1974 but was only purchased by the council from Suffolk Coastal eight years ago.

Since then the council has spent around £500,000 on refurbishing the interior – improving access for people with disabilities, including a lift, creating modern office space, and a venue for weddings, exhibitions, receptions and community meetings and events.

Now attention has turned to the exterior of the building – and around £35,000 is being spent on the façade and windows.

Work is under way, with the Victorian building shrouded in scaffolding and the aim to complete the works before the wedding season.

Ipswich-based firm RG Carter (Southern) Ltd is doing the renovation, which involves repairing the brickwork, re-pointing and refurbishing the original wooden windows.

The work has been needed for sometime – with no major external renovation for decades and the building suffering from its seafront position, battered by winds carrying salt spray.

Felixstowe Town Council said: “The works will take several weeks and are expected to complete around mid-July, weather permitting.

“The Town Hall will be scaffolded for part of this time but will remain open to the public throughout the period.”

Town councillors did consider more extensive renovation and investigated the possibility of replacing the wooden windows with UPVC ones. However, professional surveys reckoned this would cost around £120,000 so it was felt renovation was the best option.