THE Hub, Verwood's brand new community centre, was officially opened on Monday when it was handed over from East Dorset District Council to the Verwood Hub Community Association.

First discussed in the 1990s, the Hub is one of the biggest community projects ever delivered by EDDC and at nearly £2.75m it represents a huge investment from the council's capital programme.

But Verwood has grown from a village of around 2,500 people in 1975 to a town of more than 13,500 residents today - and is continuing to grow.

Now its community centre is not a draughty little village hall, but a spacious modern building containing a host of multi-purpose rooms able to cater for a wide range of social and cultural activities. It has the capacity to allow different groups and individuals to use the building simultaneously and can cater for large numbers of people for theatre, cinema, dining, dancing and education.

Perhaps most impressive is the Merryfield Theatre, named after the late Buster Merryfield of TV show Only Fools and Horses, who was a Verwood resident.

Centre manager Chris Cheesman hopes it will attract a variety of shows including travelling theatre companies and the latest films. The 300 seats in the auditorium can also be retracted at the push of a button to give a large function room with semi-sprung floor.

One of the first public functions will take place this Saturday - the Hop at the Hub, a barn dance with a folk band.

There are also meeting rooms, and a bistro which will open seven days a week, serving breakfast, lunch and evening meals.

Outside there is a south-facing patio for eating and socialising and a lawned area with room for marquees.

Two local women, Val Carruthers and Jeanne Roberts, came up with the name the Hub for Verwood's community centre independently of each other, yet for the same reasons.

Mrs Carruthers, who has lived in Verwood since 1978, said: "It seemed like the centre of the community and because of how it's spread out I thought it the building was like the hub of a wheel with the spokes radiating out."

District council chairman Councillor Alex Clarke handed over the ceremonial key to Verwood Hub Community Association chairman Cllr Michael Simper, who said: "All I can say is wow, what a magnificent building. The residents of Verwood and Three Legged Cross have been patient over the years and there have been some difficult stages, but we have overcome them all and we have this fine community centre."

Although the keys have been handed over to the Hub's trustees, EDDC will continue to own the building and will contribute £20,000 a year to the running costs. It will also maintain the external fabric of the building, major plant machinery and the site.

Verwood Town Council has also committed £30,000 towards the operational costs of running the centre during 2007/8.