TWO of Ipswich's most prominent and best-loved buildings are set to undergo a £1million revamp, it was announced today.Ipswich Town Hall on the Cornhill and the Corn Exchange, which fronts King Street, will undergo a very noticeable refurbishment beginning next month.

Grant Sherlock

TWO of Ipswich's most prominent and best-loved buildings are set to undergo a £1million revamp, it was announced today.

Ipswich Town Hall on the Cornhill and the Corn Exchange, which fronts King Street, will undergo a very noticeable refurbishment beginning next month.

Part of the work will see the façade of the Corn Exchange cleaned and its roof repaired. In total £914,000 will be spent upgrading the building, which is one of the town's most popular for staging music gigs and hosting major functions.

Among the improvements will be the removal of a 1970s era canopy which adorns the exterior of the building.

The Corn Exchange project will continue until the winter.

Prior to that work beginning a separate project to refurbish the unique dome on the Town Hall will get under way early next month. The work follows a condition survey in 2006 which showed water damage to the hall's Gallery One - one of three art galleries which operate from the building.

Ipswich Borough Council has opted to refurbish the glazed dome and replace the lead roof above the gallery. Glass in the dome will be removed and the dome itself will be lifted so that a new lead roof can be installed underneath.

Work is due to get under way on May 6 and should be completed by June 22.

The dome work will cost £137,000.

A borough council spokesman said: “It's a major project for one of Ipswich's most prominent buildings and it is important that we not only maintain such an important part of our heritage but that it also looks in tip-top condition.

“We will keep any inconvenience to a minimum.”

Are you happy this work is going ahead? What's your favourite Ipswich building? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN, or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk