Published: Friday, 27th February, 2009 4:30pm

A hall lot of help

by Mike Greenshields

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THE DAUGHTER of the architect who designed Slough's town hall made an emotional visit to the borough to defend her father's legacy.

Elizabeth Argent made the 90 mile journey from Alcester on Wednesday to launch a new website aimed at protecting the building desgined in the 1930's by her father, Charles James.

The 79-year-old grandmother said that she was honoured to be asked to help campaign against its demolition but was ‘saddened' to see that her father's work had been neglected.

Taking a tour around the building, she said: "I fondly remember coming to Slough in the mid 1930s when the beautiful town hall was under construction.

"My father visited the site every weekend and no detail was too small to warrant his attention. I saw at first hand the love and craftsmanship that went into this exceptional building.

"His heart and soul was put into the project and when I took a look around I was appauled by the awful neglect it had suffered. It was almost as though the council gave up on it before getting permission to tear it down."

Members of Campaign to Save Slough's Heritage invited Mrs Argent to Slough in a bid to raise awareness of their battle to get the building in Bath Road Grade II listed.

Martin Gibbons of Campaign to Save Slough's Heritage, said: "We were thrilled when Mrs Argent agreed to join our campaign and launch our website, which we hope will attract more support and eventually lead to the building being protected."

Town hall was opened in 1937 in anticipation of Slough receiving its Royal Charter the following year. To find out more about the Campaign visit www.savesloughtownhall.co.uk