COMMUNITY groups supporting a bid to take over the running of Stretford Public Hall in 2015 have had a massive shot in the arm.

It comes in the form of a £70,000 grant, which will enable the Friends of Stretford Public Hall, to mount a bid, which has been given the green light, just hours ahead of the December 23 deadline.

A delighted friends group chairman Annoushka Deighton said: "It has now been confirmed that the full £70,000.00 feasibility grant has been allocated to us from the Social Investment Bank.

"A team of architects and other professional bodies, who had been waiting to start work to make this bid the strongest it could possibly be, now have the green light to go ahead

"This massive show of support only emphasises just how much the local community want this bid to be successful."

A number of public fundraising events held recently raised £2,000 from individual and business donations and a further £700 at an event at the Robin Hood pub.

Ms Deighton said the money raised by the public would be kept safely on one side for use on future projects inside the hall and if the bid was unsuccessful the money would be distributed between other local groups.

She added: “ We are all doing everything possible to see this venture through to a positive conclusion in 2015”.

"We would also like to thank everyone including The Messenger Newspaper for their support and commitment and wish everyone all the best for Christmas and the New Year."

A decision on who will run the building will be announced by Trafford Council at the end of February.