DORCHESTER Arts is looking forward to making an impression in the town after a move to the Corn Exchange was agreed.

The arts organisation, which has been celebrating 30 years in the county town, will move into the Municipal Buildings in June after town councillors voted through the move at a meeting last week.

Artistic director at Dorchester Arts Mark Tattersall said the move had been a long held ambition of his organisation but they had waited till the timing was right.

He said: "The timing is just right now at the level of activity we are at where we can make a significant presence."

Mr Tattersall said that being in the heart of the town was key to the future plans for Dorchester Arts, as it looks to increase its presence and build membership ahead of a move to the new Maltings theatre at Brewery Square in around three years' time.

He said: "We are looking forward to having a town centre location with that communication and a sense of being really embedded in the heart of Dorchester."

One of the major impacts of the move will see the number of performances held at the Corn Exchange increase by around three times in the first year of Dorchester Arts' residence at the Municipal Buildings.

Mr Tattersall said some minor alterations to the curtaining arrangements would make the Corn Exchange a more flexible space so it could be used for performances of all shapes and sizes.

He said: "Concern has been expressed about whether we would lose that intimacy that we had down at the Grove building but there are going to be some changes made so the Corn Exchange is a more flexible space."

There will be no other significant changes to the building other than the bar, which Dorchester Arts plans to breathe fresh life into to make a key part of their operation and enable people to enjoy more of a night out.

It is also hoped that sharing the space with other groups that use the building will also help create a kind of community hub and promote awareness of each other's events.

Mr Tattersall said the central location would also help to build relationship's with businesses in the town and also provide a boost to those in the town centre that will benefit from more people coming in to watch performances.

Mayor of Dorchester Peter Mann said the town council was looking forward to welcoming Dorchester Arts into its building.

He said: "This is a really good opportunity both for Dorchester Arts and for the Corn Exchange to have a new lease of life as a community centre.

"We look forward very much to welcoming Dorchester Arts."