Dance expert and lead judge on BBC Programme Strictly Come Dancing Len Goodman has entered the row over the future of Crayford Town Hall. The outspoken dance teacher from Dartford, Len Goodman, has written to Bexley Council urging it not to allow the town hall to become a restaurant with flats above, but to "restore it to its former glory".

The town hall, in Crayford Road, Crayford, is included in plans for a £30m redevelopment project for the town centre. The plans include a new library and health centre, 180 flats and a new central square, which it is hoped will become the focal point of the town.

But some residents are angry the town hall, which used to be a major entertainment venue and public hall, with council offices above, will not be retained for community use. Instead, developer HFHA Group intends to turn the ground floor into a 180-seat restaurant, with apartments on the upper floors.

Alan Thompson, chairman of the Crayford Forum, which has been leading the fight to keep the town hall in community use, says he has sought expert advice on the subsiding floor, the only remaining sprung dance floor in the borough. Mr Thompson claims it would cost less than £50,000 to resolve the subsidence and restore the dance floor to full use.

Len Goodman, now as famous for his television appearances on Strictly Come Dancing and its American counterpart as he is for dancing, has backed Crayford Forum's efforts to save Crayford Town Hall for public use.

In his letter to Bexley Council, he says: "With the advent of Strictly Come Dancing, our dance studio along with many others, has seen a huge resurgence in ballroom dancing." Mr Goodman adds: "One of the problems is finding a venue suitable for people to dance in. We find the need, more and more, to hire premises for our events and the only suitable place at the moment is Woodville Halls in Gravesend."

He said he would certainly be interested in holding events at a restored town hall "and possibly even moving the dance school there", which is currently based in Dartford.

Those people fighting to save Crayford Town Hall for public use point back to its heyday as a major entertainment venue. Dartford lad Keith Richards, now better known as one of the Rolling Stones, has recalled how he first saw veteran British rocker Joe Brown at the town hall in 1962.

It was famous for its cabaret and charity nights which attracted all the big entertainment names of the day and audiences included stars such as John Thaw and Dennis Waterman from the television series The Sweeney. It also hosted Sunday concerts with top names from Sadlers Wells and the English National Opera.

The public area of the town hall has its own stage, dressing rooms and a bar, and has also hosted large events such as dances held by local groups, children's entertainment and fashion shows. Len Goodman recalls first dancing in a competition in the town hall in 1968.

Alan Thompson, chairman of Crayford Forum, believes the building should be saved for similar uses in the future and says Mr Goodman's support has been a huge boost for the forum's campaign.

(Taken From http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/topstories/display.var.2374950.0.dance_judge_joins_town_hall_row.php)