MEMBERS of Wellington Town Council held a meeting for the very first-time in the newly-renovated Kings Arms building.

The council’s community committee met on July 21 at the former pub which will soon be opening up as the Kings Arms Community Hub in the High Street.

It was back in late 2022 when Falcon Rural Housing Association began work on turning the pub building – which had stood empty for seven years – into a community hub on the ground floor and social rented flats on the upper floors.

Falcon has been working closely with the town council on a partnership agreement for the facility which will see multi-use community space on the ground floor used by groups such as churches, voluntary organisations, small charities, and local council and public health agencies.

As project works near completion, there are plans for a low-level opening of the community hub next week.

The town council’s chief executive and town clerk, Dave Farrow, said he felt it was a good idea for the community committee to hold its meeting at the new venue so that councillors could see the renovation work which had been carried out.

Newly-elected committee chairman, Cllr Andrew Govier, said: “It is a fantastic transformation from what was a very rundown building.”

The ground floor of the former Kings Arms has been developed into a working space with smaller offices, a kitchen area and café.

Visitors to the community hub will be welcomed at a reception desk which is situated in a light and airy main corridor which features a wonderful mural created by students from Court Fields School.

Mr Farrow, speaking earlier this year about the community hub, said: “The Kings Arms project is a real opportunity for the town council to improve things for the community.”