Town Hall back to former glory

MONTHS of hard work was due to come to an end today as the remaining scaffolding is removed from Ipswich Town Hall.Since May the Victorian building has been shrouded in metal while work has been going on to repair its weathered structure.

MONTHS of hard work was due to come to an end today as the remaining scaffolding is removed from Ipswich Town Hall.

Since May the Victorian building has been shrouded in metal while work has been going on to repair its weathered structure.

And more than ten months and £450,000 later the building is finally back to its former glory.

Built back between 1866 and 1868, the town hall has suffered water damage - the steel has rusted and the stone had begun to crumble.

The work was carried out to prevent any further damage to the building. Contractors, Bakers of Danbury had anticipated that in a matter of years debris would begin to fall from its structure causing significant danger to the public.

A council spokesman said: "It is exciting to see the Town Hall restored to

its former glory. It is one of Ipswich's most famous and important

buildings.

"We had to carry out this work because public safety is of paramount

importance and it was sensible and cost-effective to clean it at the same

time."

The work included the repair of the clock tower as well as the cleaning of the entire exterior of the building

Now visible on the front of the building are three carved faces - Richard the Lionheart, King John and Cardinal Wolsey.