ANOTHER event has been cancelled at Winchester Guildhall following a ceiling collapse in one of its main function halls.
A notice stuck to the venue's front doors said: "Tonight's Dance Yourself Dizzy has been cancelled. Apologies for the inconvenience!"
This is the second event scheduled to take place in the building's Bapsy Hall which has been called off since Saturday's Festive Fizz, organised by Vineyards of Hampshire, was scrapped due to what an a-board outside the Guildhall referred to as a "structural issue".
Dance Yourself Dizzy is a class held every Tuesday in Bapsy Hall which costs £10 for entry.
READ MORE: Festive Fizz cancelled after Guildhall ceiling caves in
The Chronicle has been contacting Winchester City Council, which is responsible for the management of the Guildhall, to ask it about the extent and nature of the damage, as well as the costs and timespans involved in the repair work currently being undertaken.
A spokesperson said: “We’re very sorry that we had to cancel the ‘Fairylights and Fizz’ [sic] event, which was due to be held in the Guildhall on Saturday 30 November.
“The decision was precautionary and with people’s safety in mind, following a small area of plaster from the ceiling of the Bapsy Hall coming away.
“We’re sorry for the disappointment and inconvenience we know this would have caused, but safety has to be our priority.
“Work has now been commissioned to immediately survey the ceiling of the Bapsy Hall, to ensure future events can go ahead safely, and we’re keeping organisations who have upcoming events booked at the Bapsy Hall updated. It is only the Bapsy Hall that has been affected and other rooms remain available.”
It is not so far clear why, considering there was a safety issue and the council knew about the issues with the ceiling the evening before the Festive Fizz event, people were allowed into the hall on Saturday, November 30.
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The Chronicle gained access to Bapsy Hall on the evening of December 3.
It appeared that on the left side of the hall facing the stage, some of the seats in the gallery above the main hall were covered, with workers having removed a seat and working in the corridor which gives access to the left flank of the upper tier of seating.
There also appeared to be a wet patch on the roof above the covered seats.
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