Renowned musicians have revealed their desire to reinvent a former community hub as a live venue.

Colne Valley-bred folk artists Belinda O’Hooley and Heidi Tidow are to put on a big music night at Slaithwaite Civic Hall on New Street on March 5, to try encourage more bands to play there.

The pair, who perform as O’Hooley and Tidow, hope that staging their event there will encourage more acts to follow suite, which comes around 10 years since Belinda said the venue was last put into regular use for the genre.

They will perform alongside BBC Radio 2 Folk Award Finalists Lady Maisery and activist and performer Grace Petrie as part of an International Women’s Day celebration.

“It’s a 200 seat venue, which is fantastic for a place like Slaithwaite, and we think that it should be more used”, said Belinda.

“We love Slaithwaite and used to live there about 10 years ago, when there was regular folk music on at the hall.

“It was really special to go there, it had a grand piano and it was sad when it all stopped.

“From talking to people everyone’s really keen for more music to happen there.

“A lot is happening in Marsden already.”

Their gig is one of 10 they will play around England during the beginning of March.

Belinda said: “We said we were thinking about bringing it (the show) to Slaithwaite and people said they thought it would be terrific.

“We hope that by playing there it will encourage more acts to check it out.

“In the folk world people like to see what others are doing and if there’s a new venue that one goes to some of them will book it for their own tour.”

All three acts will play their own sets and but will also come together during the evening.

Lady Maisery are a three piece song and ballad performance act, while Grace Petrie is a DIY folk singer-songwriter and guitarist.

Belinda said: “We shared a stage last year and it was very exciting when we started singing together.

“It felt like a coven of witches so that’s where the tour got its name.”

Tickets for the Slaithwaite gig are available from Green Valley Grocers on Carr Lane or online from www.wegottickets.com .

To enquire about booking Slaithwaite Civic Hall, search for room hire at www.kirklees.gov.uk/townhalls .