AFTER years of trying, it looks like Winchester civic chiefs have finally found a way to spend a massive bequest.

The council was left some £500,000 when the Marchioness of Winchester died in 1995.

She stipulated that the bequest, now with interest worth more than £1m, should be spent on a community hall at the Guildhall.

Today the city council Cabinet was considering a report suggesting that the money should be spent on improving access to the Guildhall for the disabled and revamping King Alfred Hall.

The hall, under the terms of the will drawn up in 1953, will be renamed after Bapsy, the marchioness.

The Cabinet is being urged to support the idea and to order further work looking into the proposal.

The report to Cabinet said: "If the delivery of the bequest were straightforward the council would have completed it by now."