Town court moves after 130 years

Welshpool town hall opened in 1874

A magistrates' court sat for the last time at a Powys town hall on Friday after more than 130 years.

Hearings in Welshpool switch to the town's Mansion House on Tuesday, which has been refurbished and is already used as the town's county court.

Welshpool town hall opened in 1874 and is believed to have staged court sessions ever since.

Magistrate Peter Swanson said there was sadness that the court was moving but there was also optimism for the future.

Other courts in north Powys at Machynlleth, Newtown, Llanfyllin, Llanidloes and Montgomery have all closed over the decades, leaving Welshpool as the sole centre of justice for the area.

Mr Swanson, who has been a JP for 23 years and is chairman of the bench in Montgomeryshire, said: "There is sadness in one sense because of the historic association between the court service and Welshpool town hall.

I'm looking forward to a new beginning Magistrate Peter Swanson

"But equally the refurbished new magistrates' court will have improved facilities and I'm looking forward to a new beginning."

Town clerk Ken Fletcher said: "It's a very sad occasion. The town hall has been associated with justice for over 130 years."

The magistrates' court in Welshpool has sat on Tuesdays and Fridays for decades.

There are two court rooms, one, the elder of the two, has been used to stage crown court, although a case had not been heard there for about three years.

There are plans to build a new magistrates, crown and county court 15 miles away in Newtown, said Mr Swanson.

If proposals go ahead, Welshpool could lose its court.

Welshpool Town Council, which runs the town hall, has discussed the future of the court rooms, but councillors have not made a decision about their future.