Part 2 – The Corn Exchange
You will hear a volunteer guide talking to a group of visitors at an old market building.
Lời thoại bài nghe (transcript)
Guide: Good afternoon, everyone, and welcome to the Corn Exchange. My name’s Helen, and I’m one of the volunteers here. Before we walk around, I’d like to tell you a little about the building and what you can find here today.
The Corn Exchange was built in 1862, when farmers from the villages nearby came here every Tuesday to sell their grain. Many people think it was designed by a famous architect from London, but in fact the plans were drawn by a local schoolteacher who won a competition. After the grain trade stopped in the 1950s, the building was used as a cinema for about thirty years, and then it stood empty for a long time.
The restoration started six years ago. The roof was the biggest problem. It had been damaged by rainwater over many years, and all the original glass panels had to be replaced. Most of the money for the work came from the town council, although a group of local businesses also helped. The project took four years in total, which was a year longer than planned. That was mainly because the builders discovered old coal tunnels under the floor, and they had to be filled before work could continue.
Now let me explain what’s where. When you come in through the main entrance, you’re on the ground floor, which is the market hall. Here you’ll find about forty stalls, and most of them sell food that is made within thirty miles of the town, so this is the place to buy local cheese and bread. If you go down the stairs on your left, you’ll reach the basement. It used to be a storage area for grain, and now it’s home to a large second-hand bookshop. Upstairs, on the first floor, there’s a teaching kitchen, where chefs run cooking classes most evenings. You might expect to find the café up there too, but it’s actually in a separate building at the back, next to the river.
Now some practical information. The market is open from Wednesday to Sunday. Saturdays get very busy, so if you’d like a quieter visit, I’d suggest coming on a Thursday morning. Parking is limited, as you probably noticed, so we encourage visitors to come by bus. The number 12 stops right outside the main entrance.
If you’re interested in the cooking classes, they cost twenty pounds per person, including all the ingredients. You should book at least a week in advance, because they’re very popular. Booking is done at the information desk, not online, I’m afraid.
Finally, we’re always looking for new volunteers. You don’t need any special experience, because we’ll give you training. All we ask is that you can give us at least four hours a month. If that sounds interesting, please pick up a leaflet at the information desk on your way out. Right, let’s start our walk in the market hall.
