Concern had been sparked in May when Faringdon Town Council decided to vacate the Corn Exchange, rather than negotiate a new lease with the Vale. Fortunately at the Town Council meeting held last Wednesday (14th July), it was announced that the Vale had offered new terms, and the Town Council overturned it’s previous resolution to vacate the building. Some Councillors suggested that the decision to vacate the Corn Exchange had been a negotiating tactic. Councillor Matthew Barber replied that it was the bluntest of negotiating tactics and those members of the public who had been worried about their bookings in the hall would strongly disapprove of such a tactic. Councillor Barber later commented, “We must get over this notion that the Town Council is running the Corn Exchange on behalf of the Vale. We run the Corn Exchange ourselves, and keep all of the proceeds from bookings. The Vale are simply our landlords.”