MALVERN Town Council will have to move into temporary offices at the end of the month.

The council's lease on its current premises at 1 Worcester Road expires at the end of the year.

Work to complete the new headquarters and one-stop-shop on Belle Vue Terrace is not expected to be completed until summer 2001. Until then, the council will be based at Clarburgh House, 32 Church Street, above the row of shops which includes Select World Travel.

Also moving are West Midland Planning Aid and Worcestershire Health Authority's Health Promotion Service, which have been sharing office space with the council.

Mayor David Williams said: "The new offices better serve the needs of ourselves and our partners. The telephone and fax numbers for all three organisations will not be changed, so there will be no significant disruption to our services."

The move will happen over a weekend. The Worcester Road office will close on Friday, November 24, and the Church Street office will open on Tuesday, November 28.

Work on restoring the former Manders pharmacy on Belle Vue Terrace started earlier this year.

The Grade II listed building was bought by the council for £205,000 in 1998 but was almost immediately damaged by flooding.

The £350,000 restoration contract is being carried out by local firm G F Hill (Malvern) Ltd.

Town clerk Stuart McDonough said: "The work is bang on target and we're looking at relocating there in June next year."