TOWN councillors will meet in special session next week to debate a last ditch appeal for help to pay off a loan on Bromyard's new public hall.

Herefordshire Council has already granted one six-month extension to the Public Hall Management Committee and was due to be paid back the £29,000 it loaned in 1999 on Wednesday.

Instead it accepted an urgent appeal for a few more days to allow talks on a final settlement to take place.

Coun Martin Ganderton, who took over as chairman of the Public Hall Committee two weeks ago, said it was exploring a number of options to repay the outstanding amount.

He said: "We are doing our level best to get things going and are hoping that Herefordshire Council will allow us to pay interest for the next few days. Our committee secretary faxed them on Tuesday.

"There are various possibilities which we as a public hall and charity can do.

"We are looking at the possibility of continuing a loan, of taking out a mortgage and we are approaching the town council to see whether it is able to help in any way, shape or form. We have even considered a public works loan but that takes such a long time.

"We would like to get this sorted out in the next few weeks so that everybody knows exactly what the situation is and stop public unease. At the moment we are looking at the financial position of the hall to ascertain if it has sufficient income to service a small mortgage.

"We are very optimistic that we can sort this out very quickly."

The special meeting of Bromyard and Winslow Town Council on Monday will be held at 7.30pm in the council buildings on Rowberry Street.