ST Albans arts group STARTS will be ensuring everything runs smoothly when popular BBC programme Flog It! comes to the Town Hall on Sunday. STARTS – set up to promote the arts in the district – is operating the larger part of the Town Hall as an arts venu

ST Albans arts group STARTS will be ensuring everything runs smoothly when popular BBC programme Flog It! comes to the Town Hall on Sunday.

STARTS - set up to promote the arts in the district - is operating the larger part of the Town Hall as an arts venue under an interim agreement with the district council which has been refurbishing the building.

The antiques and collectibles programme will be filmed in the Regency and Ryder Rooms - formerly the Assembly Room and the Mayor's Parlour - at the Town Hall from 9.30am until 4pm. The public are invited to bring along their items for valuation.

Richard Brown, chairman of STARTS, said: "Flog It! is the first external event we have hosted in what is for us a new venue. It has been very interesting to work closely with the BBC and see how the programme is put together and to be involved in the advance planning that is required.

"Such is the popularity of this show that as soon as the St Albans filming day was announced on TV, we began receiving queries - and even some fan mail for the presenter Paul Martin."

Richard said STARTS had already brought many people into the refurbished Town Hall with its arts fair in December and had received very encouraging feedback.

He added: "We have signed an interim agreement with the council for us to stage arts events in the Regency Room, the Ryder Room and other public areas of the building and we very much hope that this will establish a pattern for STARTS events for the future.

"Attracting events such as Flog It! will help us to subsidise future exciting arts ventures in St Albans as well as breathing new life into this beautiful old building."

Further information is available from www.starts.org.uk