After years of controversy, arguments and campaigns the transformation of an historic Andover building will be completed today.

The Guildhall, the High Street's iconic centrepiece, has been turned into a restaurant and will open for the first time.

It's taken over three years but Test Valley Borough Council finally gets its wish today.

Their decision the lease out the lower Guildhall has been controversial and led to a high profile campaign which argued it should have remained in the hands of local charities and groups.

But despite some stumbles along the way, most notably with Italian chain Prezzo pulling out of a deal, the restaurant will open today.

It's called Zippers and James Dawkins from there says it's provided some much needed local jobs: "The aim is that the guys and girls that we hire are future managers for the company. We've hired 16 people from in and around Andover, and we've only brought in two chefs who know the company well and have been working at Chatham, our other site.

Sarah Hodgson is also part of the management team at Zippers: "I think we'll bring a lot to the town and I think it'll bring a lot of people in especially from the surrounding areas. A lot of people I've chatted to have said they're really happy that Zippers is opening, because it'll give them something to do of an evening or lunchtime."

So after 185 years Andover's Guildhall can add ‘restaurant' to its many uses.

You can tell us what you think about the new addition to Andover's High Street by leaving a comment below and click on the link to see how the interior's been designed.