Kidderminster town hall has licence to wed

Weddings are to be held at Kidderminster Town Hall for the first time to raise cash towards the upkeep of the historic building.

Wyre Forest District Council said the decision to stage weddings was a key step in keeping the town hall "viable".

A licence for weddings has now been approved.

Wedding ceremonies and civil partnerships will take place in two rooms at the Vicar Street venue.

Smaller weddings will be held in the King Charles Room and ceremonies for up to 450 guests will be held in the Victorian Music Room, which has an historic William Hill Organ as a backdrop.

The hall is presently used for concerts and business conferences along with family gatherings, such as wedding receptions.

Council officials today said figures for the annual upkeep of the hall were not available with costs over the past year still being compiled by finance officers.

District council cabinet member for legal and corporate services councillor Anne Hingley said: "We needed to expand the range of services we provided at the hall to ensure it stays viable in the future," she said.

"Wedding receptions have been held at the hall for a number of years and being able to stage actual wedding and civic partnership services there seemed like a natural progression.

"Money raised from this venture will go to the upkeep of the hall. It is an historic building and a treasure in Kidderminster and we want to ensure it stays that way.

"Upkeep of the hall takes a lot of maintainance which is expensive. At the moment costs for the present year are still being put together by officers.

"However expanding the services at the hall will help cover this. At the same time it will give the people of Kidderminster and surrounding areas a first class new venue."

By Lee Watton