Councillors have taken the decision to try and breathe new life into Clydebank Town Hall.

Although the impressive venue currently hosts weddings, elected members are disappointed by the minimal use of it.

They want to see it used as a “community hub”, as it was for previous generations.

It is now set to open at weekends and local residents will be encouraged to pop along.

Provost William Hendrie said: “The place is dead. During the day it feels like a morgue. The atmosphere in the place is awful, because it is empty.

“All we have in here is us holding meetings.

“There are no members of the public coming in in droves like there used to be.”

Speaking about the current usage, Provost Hendrie continued: “It is all about weddings and has been for ages.

“We are not doing anything to attract our constituents to come here to the town hall.

“Weddings might bring in money but we need to still get people in here during the week, and popping into to the cafe as well.

“We must bring more people to the town hall and increase ways it is used to bring in more income.

“I would like to think the place could be busy permanently, all day, every day, if we can get people to attend.

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“Once people are encouraged to come here, we want them to go back home and encourage others to come.”

Councillor Karen Conaghan backed the stance made by the provost.

There are plans to carry out internal work in the town hall to make it more user-friendly.

Cllr Conaghan said: “The town hall is a multi-purpose venue, and has a good coffee shop, which is empty a lot of the time.

“The development at Queens Quay will also offer us a chance to get people in to use the facilities.”

Bailie Denis Agnew, chair of the cultural committee, who were discussing the issue at the town hall on Monday, said: “We are not advertising what we are doing.

“There used to be banners on the street lights to let people know what was going on – we should re-instate them.”

Councillors also floated the idea of using the lesser town hall as a reception venue.

Speaking about the current opening hours, Bailie Agnew continued: “The town hall is open when people are at work themselves, and is closed in the evenings and at weekends.

“It is going to be a multi-purpose venue, so it should be open at times that are suitable for everyone.

“If we promote it, people will come to the town hall and it will become a hub for the community.”