THE POCKETS of Petersfield residents will not be picked to pay for a multi-million pound revamp of the Festival Hall.

That’s the message that a councillor has made despite the estimated costs for the refurbishment proposals rising to £8.3m.

Councillors were given their first real look of a revamped Festival Hall on Monday when Foster Wilson Architects (FWA) presented their draft plans to Petersfield Town Council.

The proposals include a new glass entrance extension and a revamped main hall and stage area with galleries, new seating and an orchestra pit.

A new bar, box office counter and reconfigured Rose Room are also part of the plans, along with a new kitchen, multi-purpose room and cafe area.

Architect Tim Foster told the Public Halls Committee that public and user feedback had influenced the proposals, with a “full team of consultants”, including theatre and acoustic experts, also giving their advice along with quantity surveyors.

And while the £8.3m bill is higher than the £7m previously quoted, Mr Foster and quantity surveyor, William Swanson, said the figure had been adjusted to take inflation and possible rises in construction costs and materials, which could be affected by Brexit, into account.

Mr Foster also said that ‘phasing’ the project could also affect costs, as dates would be pushed back, but stressed that savings could be made by changing various parts of the scheme.

Developer contributions will fund most of the project but a fundraising scheme will soon begin to swell the pot and turn the venue into a “real asset for the town and the national park”.

Committee chairman, Councillor Arun Glendinning, said: “It looks great.

“It’s been a pretty daunting transformation project for everyone concerned but the team and everyone around this table has done fantastically well in preparing a cohesive vision we can take forward to fundraising partners and the people of Petersfield.”

Councillor Phill Humpries added: “We’re not picking the pockets to pay for this and we’re also talking about fundraising strategies.

“It’s not only a slightly shinier building, it’s giving you something different, something which contributes to the economic well-being of the town.

“It’s a big picture piece of work and not just some luvvies putting on a show.”