LEDBURY Town Council will continue to use the historic Market House for meetings after new disabled access laws come into force in October.

A stop-gap measure was agreed by the council last week, whereby meetings will be moved to the old committee room, at its Church Lane offices, if disabled access is needed.

The arrangement will remain in force while the council seeks a barrister's opinion on the future of the 17th Century Market House.

As the Market House is entered via steep steps, it does not meet the new disabled access laws. Attempts to alter it, including plans to install a lift, have not found public support. The old committee room is accessible to wheelchairs.

At last week's meeting, Coun Clive Jupp, chairman of the finance committee, indicated that in view of the new legislation, any meeting he chaired would take place in the committee room.

Town clerk June McQuaid, who is also the town's superintendent registrar, has already said she will take no more bookings for weddings in the Market House after October.

The panelled committee room is also licensed as a venue for civil weddings and will be used instead.

The barrister being consulted is to be briefed to look at all disabilities, including deafness, as well as being given costings for possible solutions to help the building meet the new laws.

These are likely to include estimates for hearing loops and soundproofing. Traffic and street noise sometimes makes debate in the Market House very hard to follow.