WORK on Cleobury Mortimer's new £250,000 civic centre is set to finish later this summer.
The project aims to prepare the town's historic Grade II listed former market hall, which dates back to 1842 and has been disused since 1996, for life in the 21st century.
Work began in November last year and is due to finish in August.
The restored building will combine a community civic centre with offices, a small museum - including the UK's first town crier's museum - a tourist information centre, conference facilities, and health services.
It is hoped the centre will help attract more tourists to the town.
It has been funded by a £50,000 Rural Enterprise Scheme grant from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, contributions from Cleobury Mortimer Parish Council and the Government's Single Regeneration Budget.
Parish council chairman Adrian Pearce, a member of the project management team, said: "This valuable project is bringing back a Grade II listed building into full-time use for the whole community.
"The funding from DEFRA represents important support for the community beyond farming. The project will be self-financing once development work has been completed."
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