Campaigners hoping to gain control of their Town Hall

Campaigners say they could finally be close to gaining control of their Town Hall after it was boarded up 58 years ago by the supermarket chain which owns it. Wiveliscombe's Town Hall dominates the square in the centre of the town and residents want to use it for community events.

They claim the Co-op has not been co-operative.

Built in the prosperous 1840's Wiveliscombe Town Hall has seen a lot of action. It's been Assembly rooms, magistrates have passed sentence here and people have even been married in it. But for 54 years it's been boarded up by its owners, the Co-op.

Campaigners have set up a Trust and have been in negotiations with the property arm of the Co-op for twelve years to take on a lease to get this empty and rather grand building back in to public use. The co-op claims its good with food the campaigners are too polite to say its bad with people, but claim it's been a painful, protracted and still, so far, fruitless task.

The Town Hall was even used as a cinema during the war years. The Trust wants to show films here again and to breathe life back into the heart of the town all the locals call Wivvy.

Now we are right up at the top of the building and this is one part not owned by the Co-op. And that's just through here. The Town clock is owned by the parish council and the Co-op has to allow a man up here to allow them to keep it wound.

The co-op told me this evening they haven't wound up negotiations, they say they're continuing to discuss the finer details of a 125 year lease. 12 years down and hopefully not much longer to wait.

Watch the full report by David Woodland: