A FAMOUS pipe organ used throughout 30 years of radio broadcasts and recordings could find a new home in Tavistock.

The eight-pipe Compton organ was housed in the Royal/ABC Cinema in Plymouth, until its removal in February 2006. It was destined to be installed at Trinity Music College's concert hall at Blackheath in London, but the project has fallen foul of financial cuts and Tavistock Town Council has been approached with a view to providing it with a new home in the town hall.

Wayne Southall, the council's works superintendent, last week told the town's properties committee he had seen a similar organ on a recent fact-finding trip to Dingles Steam Village at Lifton, and had been updated on the organ offer by its owners.

Mr Southall said: 'I think there may have been some misconceptions regarding the organ. All they are asking from us at the moment is purely whether we would be interested in having the organ — there might not be any costs for us.

'If our town hall is the chosen option for them, they would undertake applications for grant funding, which could potentially cover its installation and restoration.'

Mr Southall said the organ pipes, or chamber, could be installed in the town hall loft and the console was moveable.

Cllr Brian Trew asked if the hall loft was structurally sound enough to be used, given the amount of work which had previously been undertaken in the ceiling.

Cllr Mandy Govier asked if having the organ would have any impact on the hire of the hall for functions — and Cllr John Sellis was concerned about on-going maintenance of the instrument, which could cost 'mega money in years to come'.

Mr Southall said the organ's owners would conduct a site survey before any decision was made, and that the town hall manager was happy that functions would be unaffected by its installation.

He said: 'They have been out to four or five people who have come back to say they are interested. There isn't anything to say Tavistock would be the preferred option — there's a lot of ifs and buts and maybes.'

Town mayor Cllr David Whitcomb said: 'As I understand it, the town hall is losing money.?This would give us another opportunity to use the hall for other events — there's quite a bit of enthusiasm in the town for this organ.

'I think it would be a big advantage, it's something else we can promote in the town hall and hopefully make money.

Cllr Sue Bailey said: 'It's a very famous organ — it would bring a lot of people to Tavistock who would want to see it.'

Cllr Ted Sherrell proposed the council express an 'in principle' interest in providing a home for the organ, pending further discussions and the right to withdraw if necessary.

The committee agreed — the decision was due to be ratified by the full council at its meeting on Tuesday.