THE Okehampton Millennium Quilt is likely to be re-hung, but the town council is 'looking at other options' on exactly where to find a home for it.

The quilt was made by the 12 members of the Castle Quilters group over an 18-month period and presented to the town to mark the millennium. It depicts the everyday life of the area at four times of the day through the four seasons.

The quilt had hung in the hall for 13 years before it was removed during the hall's recent refurbishment work. It has not been re-hung since the hall reopened back in February. It cannot be hung where it was originally, due to the hall's new ventilation system.

The quilters have created a petition to find out how many people in the town want to see the quilt rehung in the hall. It currently has more than 200 signatures.

Members of the quilting group attended the council's annual assembly meeting last week to raise the issues directly with councillors.

Chairman of the council's property committee Cllr Paul Vachon said: 'There has never been a decision taken not to rehang the quilt. It was always our intention to re-hang it somewhere. But at the moment we are looking at other options.

'It has been discussed and we were looking at possibly re-hanging it on the end wall of the Charter Hall, or in the main council chamber. Nothing is set in stone yet.'

At the assembly meeting, Cllr Vachon explained the finer points of the hall's refurbishment project.

It had been decorated with a neutral colour scheme in an effort to attract organisers of weddings, conferences and business functions to consider using the hall for their event.

The attempted diversification of users beyond community groups is being targeted in an effort to increase hall revenue. The hall currently runs at a loss.

Susan Enderson from the quilters group feels that the quilt still has a place in the Charter Hall among the neutral colour scheme.

She said: 'The quilt is designed to hang on the wall it was hanging from, it is so big it is hard to hang.

'If anybody hired the hall and didn't want the quilt hung, it could be taken down in around half an hour. I don't accept any argument at all that it is difficult to take down and re-hang.'

Town mayor Cllr the Rev Mike Davies stated at the meeting the future of the quilt would be discussed at the council's next property committee meeting on Monday April 8.

Members of the Castle Quilters announced their intention to attend the meeting and find out the latest on the situation.