[3] After the first market hall became dilapidated, the local board of health decided, in 1880, to demolish it and to procure a new structure.

[4] The new building, which was designed by George Eyre in the Victorian style, was built in red brick with stone dressings and was officially opened on 2 March 1881.

[4] A request for planning permission to demolish the town hall and erect a drive-through restaurant was considered by the council in the early 1990s but never progressed.

English Heritage assessed the building as in September 2011 but decided, on account of all the alterations that had taken place, that the town hall should not be listed.

[12] A local campaign group organised a petition to retain the town hall and the proposed disposal ultimately did not proceed.