The cabinet member for placemaking and planning, Councillor Marina Strinkovsky, told councillors that she thinks “there is a reasonable prospect of a suitable scheme coming forward” to restore the Corn Exchange building in OId Town. The Victorian Grade II-listed building dates back to 1854 and was originally the town hall for Swindon, then used for corn, roller-skating and as the Locarno dance hall, leading to it also being known as the Locarno. Cllr Strinkovsky was asked by Conservative councillor Lawrence Elliott as to the progress, noting that the previous administration had considered a Compulsory Purchase Order in 2020. It also tried to make a purchase of the Corn Exchange more attractive by offering to sell The Planks and Dammas Lane car parks to any buyer of the building. Cllr Strinkovsky said: “At this point, I consider that there is a reasonable prospect of a suitable scheme coming forward for the Corn Exchange buildings and that direct action is not currently judged as being necessary.