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Rooms in danger of closing
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| The Victoria Rooms in Fordingbridge |
A HISTORIC building in Fordingbridge is in danger of closing unless the community rallies around to raise funds and make use of it.
The Victoria Rooms, situated on Bridge Street in the town, date back to 1875.
Before this there was a British School on the site in the 1830s, which became a sail cloth store in 1861 when the school moved to Roundhill.
The building was then bought by Thomas Westlake in 1874 and rebuilt as a mission hall in 1875, before being transferred to a charitable trust by Earnest Westlake in 1884.
Over the years that followed the Victorian Rooms had various uses including for concerts, lectures, baby clinics, theatres and youth activities.
In 1999 the building had a major upgrade with an extension to the rear, a stair lift, new cloakrooms, kitchen and external store.
But now the building is in need of some attention, especially the front wall, which has water damage from the broken guttering and cement from between the bricks coming out.
There are tiles missing on the rook and windows that need attention.
Martin Cracknell, who is working with the current trustees and supporters on the community rooms, said: "We have a real asset in the Victoria Rooms - we can use it to meet the needs of the community. Many of those community needs were identified in the recent Market Town Health Check, especially activities attracting the young."
Mr Cracknell told the Forest Journal that closure of the Victoria rooms is not what the town wants and will only result in an empty shell of no use to anybody.
"We do need the support of the community and their involvement to get this to work."
He said new trustees are needed to run and manage the building and people to fundraise, organise events and promote the Victoria Rooms.
There will be a public meeting on Wednesday September 17 at 7.30pm in the Victoria Rooms.
12:17pm Friday 22nd August 2008
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CommentPosted by: rosiewardcat, fordingbridge on 2:49pm Fri 22 Aug 08
I hope people attend the meeting but I suspect they will not because this type of facility has very limited appeal at present. If the Victoria Rooms improves its facilities all it will do is transfer some clubs and societies from elsewhere because there is insufficient demand to make it economic to have this facility, Avonway and the various halls in town and the Town Hall. What should be discussed is how a single good facility can be achieved by rationalising the stock available and then supporting that one public building.
Given that Avonway is central and is being used by numbers of groups surely this is the prime candidate?
Once this decision is made the spare sites need to be put to other uses that do not involve public funding for upkeep.
Sadly the Victoria Rooms is not ideally sited and I suspect needs far more money spent than is viable.
I think it is time for the trustees to face the unfortunate and sad reality that what may have been a good idea and a very philanthropic gesture in 1884 has now unfortunately run its course.
I hope people attend the meeting but I suspect they will not because this type of facility has very limited appeal at present. If the Victoria Rooms improves its facilities all it will do is transfer some clubs and societies from elsewhere because there is insufficient demand to make it economic to have this facility, Avonway and the various halls in town and the Town Hall. What should be discussed is how a single good facility can be achieved by rationalising the stock available and then supporting that one public building.
Given that Avonway is central and is being used by numbers of groups surely this is the prime candidate?
Once this decision is made the spare sites need to be put to other uses that do not involve public funding for upkeep.
Sadly the Victoria Rooms is not ideally sited and I suspect needs far more money spent than is viable.
I think it is time for the trustees to face the unfortunate and sad reality that what may have been a good idea and a very philanthropic gesture in 1884 has now unfortunately run its course.
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