Transcript Document

Horncastle Town Hall 2006 Working Group
A COMMUNITY PROPOSAL
for
HORNCASTLE TOWN HALL
Presentation on behalf of
The Town Hall 2006 Working Group
at
THE PARISH MEETING
on
Friday June 27th 2008
Our Vision for the regeneration of the Town Hall
Horncastle Town Hall 2006 Working Group
BACKGROUND INFORMATION ABOUT THE HALL………
•
Situated on part of the Wong
• The Wong was offered to the Town in 1892
• The Drill Hall was funded by Public donations, built in 1901
• It was vested in ELDC in 1972 at LG reorganisation
• When it became the ELDC Area Office
• It was renamed the Town Hall
• And it became home to the Town Council
• Hosting Events and Functions such as The Food Fair
• It generates revenue at present of approx £14,000 p.a.
• It is the only amenity building of this size
• Horncastle’s 2005 Action Plan identifies this as a project
Horncastle Town Hall 2006 Working Group
NOW…….
• ELDC have announced they plan to relocate the Area Office
• The Town Hall has become surplus to their requirements
• ELDC offered the building back to the Community in 2005
QUOTING WE SHOULD……
“Put forward a scheme for the long term retention of the
property”
• Be supported by local people
• Identify funding for the alterations and refurbishment
The criteria……….
• We believe we have met ELDC’s conditions
Horncastle Town Hall 2006 Working Group
THE PEOPLE OF HORNCASTLE HAVE ASKED ELDC
TO RETAIN THIS BUILDING TIME & TIME AGAIN!
THESE ISSUES PRODUCED ……..
• A Public Meeting in 2002 that voted for retention of the
Hall
• The Town Council & ELDC jointly funded an initial
study by John Roberts Architects
• A Group that started to look at the results…..
• Unfortunately the proposals were not carried forward
THEN…..
• The 2006 Town Hall Working Group was formed and
constituted.
Horncastle Town Hall 2006 Working Group
SO MEET SOME OF THE TEAM……..
• Bill Aron – Chairman
•Ron Fisher – Vice-Chairman & Treasurer
• James Tempest – Junior Vice Chairman
• Maureen O’Neill – Secretary
• Gerry O’Neill - Committee Member
• June Benton - Committee Member
• Joyce Fisher - Committee Member
Angela Kisby - Pauline Boddy - Pam Crisp-Beard
In addition we had the support of the Professionals ……
• Dexter & Sharpe – Accountants
• Robert Bell & Co – Property Management
• Nat West Bank – Financial Advice
• Chattertons - Solicitors
Horncastle Town Hall 2006 Working Group
As we moved forward we made…..
• A full tour of the building
• We studied the data from ELDC
• Comparisons of the running costs of other Centres
• Contact with architects & builders
• Enquiries regarding funding avenues
• Contact with current & potential users
and
• Started to compile the Feasibility Study………..
Horncastle Town Hall 2006 Working Group
AS WELL AS FACTS AND FIGURES
WE NEED SOME FUNDS!
•We held a couple of fund raising events
• Plus a Charity Auction
•The public support was tremendously encouraging
• We raised over £1,100 towards the cost of producing the
Concept Design and a Business Plan
Horncastle Town Hall 2006 Working Group
THE FEASIBILITY STUDY HAS HIGHLIGHTED:
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The building is of sound construction
The Hall would be adaptable
Inviting a variety of improvement schemes
It has local Historical & Architectural interest & features
The Hall is well positioned with a car park
Adjacent to the Wong Open Space also in need of TLC
There are benefits from the existing regular hirers
There is plenty of further letting potential
New interest from The Red Cross, The CAB and others
plus the potential of creating ……….
Horncastle Town Hall 2006 Working Group
A COMMUNITY CINEMA?
MEETING ROOMS ?
MULTI PURPOSE FUNCTION HALL ?
RED CROSS HQ ?
EXHIBITION AREAS ?
A CAFÉ – A BAR?
JUST A FEW OF THE EXCITING PROPOSALS THAT
HAVE BEEN PUT FORWARD
Horncastle Town Hall 2006 Working Group
THE CONCEPT DESIGN …………………
Commissioned by our Group and produced by Karen Lane
Horncastle Town Hall 2006 Working Group
CONSULTATION PROCESS …………………….
• We produced a consultation questionnaire with
a flyer – some 250 were completed and
returned, about the same as in 2002.
• Current and potential users were contacted.
• The results of the survey were independently
analysed.
• Overwhelmingly people reaffirmed that they
want the Town Hall retained
Horncastle Town Hall 2006 Working Group
DURING THE NEXT STAGE – The Business Plan
Brief…...
• We tried to secure the balance of the funding required for a
Business Plan
• The Town Council pledged £1,000 plus £7,000 towards any
refurbishments
• We continued fund raising – A Raffle – Pilot Film Show
• We started to produce a Business Plan brief based on the
results of the survey and the Feasibility Study
• We began to approach funding bodies and then found the
goal posts were being moved and we were meeting a certain
resistance ……………….
Horncastle Town Hall 2006 Working Group
BUT WE FIRMLY BELIEVE THE BENEFITS OF
RETAINING THE HALL INCLUDE:• Promoting Community involvement
• Protecting one of the Town’s most important
public buildings – and our heritage
• Promoting a visitor attraction for the Town
• Developing new facilities for Horncastle
• Horncastle’s geographical and strategic
position to serve the surrounding villages
• Forming a Charitable Trust to run the Hall for
the benefit of the people of Horncastle
Horncastle Town Hall 2006 Working Group
OF THE FEASIBILITY STUDY IT HAS BEEN SAID:“These proposals go a very long way to ensure a sustainable future
for Horncastle Town Hall” Paul Scott,A Past Chairman of Horncastle Civic Society
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