AFTER three decades of waiting, Langford Budville finally has a community hall.

Contractors handed the keys to hall trustees last week following nine months of construction work, marking the end of an agonising 30-year wait.

Residents had tried numerous times to get a hall but lack of funds and location problems hampered their progress.

However, after several false starts, builders moved on site at the end of last year following a £500,000 boost from the Big Lottery Community Buildings Fund.

The completion means the village is no longer the only one of comparable size in Somerset without a community centre.

Keith Moore, chairman of the hall trustees, said: “This marks a significant step towards achieving our goal of providing Langford Budville and the surrounding communities with this magnificent new facility.

"The trustees now have much to do equipping the building and applying the finishing touches before it is open for business.

“We are planning an official opening for the late autumn.”

The committee has already held a meeting at the hall, with a race night planned for September 8.

Anyone interested in using the centre should visit langfordbudvillevillagehall.org.uk