THE glass roof at Wallingford’s Corn Exchange could be replaced as part of a renovation scheme costing up to £750,000, it has emerged.

The historic venue is the home of the town’s drama group the Sinodun Players and also features a cinema which sometimes screens theatre performances, ballet and opera from major national venues.

For years the glass roof, installed when the Corn Exchange was built in 1856, has leaked and one option being considered is to remove it and replace it with another material.

Two years ago a £55,000 appeal was launched to buy a digital projector for the building’s cinema.

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Cinema manager John Warburton, who has been involved with drama group the Sinodun Players for the past 40 years, said renovating the Grade II-listed building in Market Place could cost between £500,000 and £750,000.

He said: “The roof is partly made of glass and we do need to do something about it.

“Scaffolding went up a few months ago because we needed to remedy cracks in the glass as a temporary measure to stop the rain coming in – each time we need scaffolding it costs about £1,000.

“Something radical needs to be done and that could mean replacing the glass with a more practical material — patching up leaks with tape is not ideal.

“We have launched a project committee to see what needs to be done and it will meet throughout 2015 to decide the best way forward.

“Something as radical as replacing the glass would need a lot of money and a blue-sky figure would be between £500,000 and £750,000. You have to remember that this is a Grade II-listed building so it may or may not be possible to replace the glass roof.”

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