A HIGH-profile businessman has made a shock offer to transform the run-down Beaconsfield town hall into a café.

Mike Clare, the founder of bed company Dreams has been in discussions with local councillors for several months but publicly announced the plans at a 'Big Society' meeting last Friday.

The building's ground floor currently houses the neighbourhood police team and Beaconsfield Town Council, but has plenty of empty space upstairs.

The proposal could see a café or pub bistro move into the ground floor and the whole building renovated to host the council and police upstairs.

Alan Walters, leader of Beaconsfield Town Council, said he wants to see what people think about the proposal, but added other schemes are also being looked at.

Councillors have been exploring options to make better use of the town hall for several years.