BOVEY Tracey’s Phoenix Hall, which is home to the town’s activities trust, has been given a push into the 21st century with a new £18,000 kitchen.

The new cooking area was opened by the town’s deputy mayor Cllr Avril Kerswell and chairman of the Tracey Almshouse Arthur Mann.

Funding for the project came from the Almshouse Trust and the National Lottery Awards For All scheme.

The hall, located in St John’s Lane, is used by various organisations including the town’s art society, heritage trust, disabled fellowship, Devon Guild of Craftsmen and Slimming World.

Cllr Kerswell said she was ‘very pleased to be able to support an organisation like Bovey Tracey Activities Trust which worked so hard to improve the facilities that they have and the activities provided to their members.’

The trust runs more than 30 activities from the hall.