Proposals to move Dorchester Arts to Poundbury have been discussed – but rejected.

Dorchester town councillors heard that two sites were considered, the Jubilee Hall and the Crown Hall, but neither were thought suitable for a performing arts venue.

The group is still hoping to have its own venue at The Maltings in Brewery Square but the Poundbury alternatives were floated incase an application for funding for the Maltings project failed to materialise.

Councillors also heard at a meeting of the town’s management committee on Tuesday that local MP, Sir Oliver Letwin, had met in London with Darren Henley, the chief officer of Arts Council England, to promote the Dorchester Arts case for a new performance venue in the county town.

At the moment the arts group are based within the Corn Exchange where most of its performances also take place – but the building needs major repairs to the roof which will mean a complete closure for several months, possibly within a year.

Deputy Town Clerk Steve Newman told town councillors that Dorchester Arts were happy to stay in the Corn Exchange if they could in the short term. He said he felt that if a funding decision for the arts group was not positive in the autumn that they might want to stay permanently.