WORK to make Gisburn Festival Hall more energy efficient in an attempt to help drive down costs has been completed.

The hall was awarded a £36,000 grant in February from the Rural Development Programme for England allowing it to install heating and insulation after the Bentlea Road site’s long-term future, hung in the balance due to an inefficient heating system and spiralling fuel costs.

The total cost of the work was £48,950 and the hall received a village amenities grant of £10,000 from Ribble Valley Borough Council.

David Waters, secretary of Gisburn Festival Hall, said: “We are all delighted that the work has been finished and it will make a huge difference to the hall.

“We have had lots of local people coming into the hall and saying that it’s already so much better.

“A lot of the work is things that you can’t see because the improvements are under the floor but they will make a big difference.

“Our last energy bill was around £4,000 and we are hoping to save 50 per cent of that over the coming months.”

The old part of the hall was built in 1877 and was known as Gisburn National School until 1913 when it became Gisburn Parish Rooms.

In 1951 the hall was named Gisburn Festival Hall to coincide with the Festival of Britain that year.

Mr Waters said: “The work took several months and it will make the hall a lot more attractive venue for people to come and for us to host events.”

John Falshaw, chairman of Gisburn Parish Council, said: “Anything that’s energy saving is a good thing and I hope it’s a success for the hall.

“Without the hall the village is nothing and it needs a centre like the festival hall.”