DRAMATIC changes to one of Ipswich's most historic buildings are being unveiled today.

DRAMATIC changes to one of Ipswich's most historic buildings are being unveiled today.

The Corn Exchange's topping out ceremony was held yesterday and now the scaffolding will gradually be taken down, showing off the refurbished and redecorated exteriors and roof.

Already work has started on removing the temporary art work that has covered the Corn Exchange since the repairs started late last summer.

The �1.1million project has taken since August to complete and has been more than three years in the planning.

Mark Hunter, Ipswich Borough Council's buildings and designs service manager, said: “The outside was last redone in the 1970s. It was in a terrible state.

“Rather than doing bits and pieces we looked at the whole picture and did it in one go.

“We replaced the metal bars that run along the top. They were taken off decades ago but we had them put back on and it sets the building off perfectly and makes it look like a Victorian building again.

“The building has a lot of history, if you go back 150 years there was corn exchange in the main hall.

“I hope people will be impressed.”

David Eaton, director of building contractors Noble and Taylor, which carried out the improvements, added: “It went very well. It is a very exciting project for us to be involved with because of the traditional skills we used.

“Leadwork and cutting slates were used to respect the heritage of the building. It was specialist skills.

“It inevitably means the project takes a bit longer but it does make a big difference.”

Do you welcome the work on the Corn Exchange roof? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk.