GREAT British Bake Off presenter Mel Giedroyc has been lined up to open the new Neeld Community and Arts Centre in October.

Chippenham Town Council have spent more than £680,000 on transforming the Neeld Hall into a theatre and arts venue and community space.

The ‘soft’ opening launch is set to take place on October 9 and 10 with community group showcases and a private professional music show.

The Bake Off presenter will also help launch and mentor a new community project being put on for young people with learning difficulties.

The grand opening for the new centre will be in February 2016.

Work on the Neeld Hall started in June and the tiered seating is due to be installed in the week commencing September 14.

The Neeld Hall, bar area and toilets are expected to be ready to be handed back to the town council as anticipated on September 27 but unforeseen issues mean that the front lobby and customer services area will not be handed over to the council until October 19.

These minor issues have also increased the cost of the project from £648,000 to £685,000 but these are within the council’s affordability envelope.

Deputy chief executive Adrian Jones said: “The front area is where we have lost a bit of time; it’s likely that will be handed back to us on October 19. I am determined we will be able to bring them (the public) in through that front of house.”

Despite the minor setbacks, programme manager Isabelle Leclercq is putting together a comprehensive programme of events for October 2015 and through all of 2016.

No name have been released yet but Chippenham Town Council have confirmed ten acts, including three comedians and two folk bands, have already been booked with more acts still to be announced.

A community project in collaborations with Riverbank Music Studios has also been organised which will see a bi-monthly music talent show for teenagers called Take the Stage.

The competition will start in November 2015 and end in June 2016 with the final being judged by a panel including Chippenham FM and Real World Studios with the winner getting a free recording session and the opportunity to open for a professional band on the Neeld stage.