STROUD'S residents can pitch in to have a say about the future development of a key community venue.

Lansdown Hall and Gallery is owned by Stroud Town Council, which has launched a consultation to find out what might improve the setting.

“We want to build on our improvements to Lansdown Hall and Gallery but need the public to tell us what they consider as priorities,” said town mayor Kevin Cranston.

“People will have a direct impact on possible further grants. This consultation will help us illustrate how important the hall is to the community. The more people who respond to the consultation, the stronger our case for support."

He added: “We must thank the funders who have been so generous and helped us create this wonderful venue.”

People are being encouraged to complete a survey to enable the council to decide what improvements are done next.

These include renovating the remaining windows in the hall, installing blackout curtains, creating a bar area, upgrading toilets and creating a fully accessible main entrance to the hall.

The town council bought Lansdown Hall six years ago to save it from closure and it is now run by a charitable trust, providing a community space for the town.

Since 2010 more than £398,00 has been invested into the venue.

This includes £140,000 from organisations including Gloucestershire Environmental Trust and landfill tax contributions from Cory Environmental, Biffa Award, Garfield Weston Foundation and The Summerfield Trust.

Major improvements include an extension for storage, a revamped and improved gallery, repairs to stonework, windows, energy saving measures and a massive upgrading of the hall’s event sound and theatre lighting systems.

“When the town council bought the hall nothing practical was working, we were in debt and the hall was in desperate need of repair,” said Jeremy Collingwood, chairman of the Lansdown Hall Trust.

“Now we have a venue that is transformed and has become a hub for the community. We think it is now one of the best venues in the county - and we are not done yet.”

A celebration party was held to mark the venue’s progress so far with Mary Moore unveiling the hall’s restored iconic rose window.

The money for the restoration was raised by Mary and her sister Julia Donaldson, creator of The Gruffalo, in two sell-out children’s shows.

The consultation closes on July 22. Paper copies of the survey are available from the town council office and Lansdown Hall. To fill in the online survey go to surveymonkey.co.uk/r/LandownHallandGallery