A RUNDOWN community hall could be demolished to make way for a new restaurant.

Hadleigh Hall, off Rectory Road, Hadleigh, was privately run from 2005 by Sovereign Leisure, until the private firm handed it back to Castle Point Council in a shoddy state of repair in June this year.

Because of this, the main hall was closed to community groups and only the sports changing rooms are being used, although there is no hot water for showers.

Andrew Smith, the council’s director of special projects, revealed plans are now being drawn up to demolish the hall and replace it with a new complex.

This would contain a restaurant, cafe or bar, as well as possibly a new community hall and changing rooms.

It would be run by a private firm who would manage and maintain the hall and changing facilities.

Mr Smith said: “It would be a case of the private sector working with us to provide a new community facility.

“Sovereign Leisure had a long-term lease and it was anticipated it would continue running the hall for the next 20 years.

“It was unable to do that and returned the hall to us in a very poor condition.

“The windows and doors are rotten, the whole place needs redecorating and the electricity and water supply needs replacing.”

The council was unable to refurbish the hall this year, because officers had not expected to be given back control of the facility.

This meant redecorating or rebuilding costs were not included in this year’s budget.

Council officers plan to present the new proposals to ruling Tory cabinet members early in the new year.

They will also be asked to consider the possibility of just redecorating the hall or demolishing and not replacing it.

The hall used to be an election polling station and was used by lots of community groups, including Hadleigh Evening Women’s Institute and Women’s Guild.

Mr Smith said: “We decided to keep the changing rooms open for cricket and football teams, but there is only cold water available. The players knew this before they agreed to use the facilities.”