£400k hall plan wins support
2:56pm Thursday 12th March 2009 in
Tax payers in Bradford on Avon could face a hike in their future bills after the town council decided to go ahead with a £400,000 revamp of St Margaret’s Hall.
Under the plan the town council-owned building, which also houses its offices, would become a more impressive entertainment venue, with an upgraded stage, retractable seating, improved lighting and heating system and a much-improved backstage area.
It is hoped the project will help bring in more revenue as the building currently runs at a loss and needs a £5,000 annual subsidy from the town council to cover the day-to-day running costs.
Councillors backed the project at an extraordinary meeting on Tuesday, but some raised concerns over the potential increase in the council tax precept.
Options to finance the project include taking out a low-interest loan, applying for Lottery funding and general community fundraising.
If the council opts to take out a loan of £365,000, as £30,000 is already earmarked in its reserves, the precept could go up by 21p a week, or £10.77 a year for the average band D property.
Cllr Vicky Landell-Mills said at the meeting: “Discussions about this proposal have been going on for really quite a long time. It’s not a bolt from the blue project; it has been a very considered project and it has always been met with interest and a warm response.
“If we don’t go for it now we should put up or shut up.
“This hall will serve a purpose in the life of the town. It will have a tremendous benefit.”
Mayor Cllr Paul Skidmore added: “I think a precept of 21 pence extra per week is neither here nor there. I say go ahead with it.”
But deputy mayor Simon Fisher said: “It’s all expense, isn’t it? It’s pretty relevant to people having to scrape together money.”
Numerous groups use the hall, including the Bradford on Avon Film Society, the North & West Wiltshire National Trust Association, Bradford on Avon Lions, the Woodland Tots playgroup and the Old Tyme and Modern Sequence Dance Club.
Councillors voted unanimously in favour of the refurbishments, subject to the results of an acoustic study.
If approved, the next step will be to put in a planning application to West Wiltshire District Council and to consider the funding options.
Comments(9)
Realistic old man
says...
9:30am Fri 13 Mar 09
By my maths, the annual loss is 1/80th of the proposed spend - why not raise the precept by a penny to cover the loss, and maintain the status quo ? In any case, as wurzel correctly pointed out, promoters will take care of lighting and staging.
In my humble opinion, £400,000 would be better spent on improving the third world roads in the town.
Was this item on anybody's election manifesto ? I think not.
Definitely a subject for a vote, but since when have councillors been in favour of democracy ! (except at election time)
hardup
says...
5:18pm Sat 14 Mar 09
hardup
says...
5:26pm Sat 14 Mar 09
hardup
says...
5:27pm Sat 14 Mar 09
hardup
says...
5:39pm Sat 14 Mar 09
moonrakin wurzel
says...
1:53pm Sun 15 Mar 09
Perhaps they should put the hall on a commercial footing and lease out the catering facilities to somebody who's at least competent and publish accounts n all - perhaps on a website which might also show prices and forthcoming events...even?
This has all the hallmarks of a municipal vanity splurge with public money.
I'd like to add that I'd like to see the hall used a lot more - open during the day for coffee+cake - events for yoof - events for oldies - music - art - science even .....
They'll spend our money, the rental price will go up, the usage will drop and they'll be back for more subsidy from the public purse quicker than you can say witless boob.
With a salaried official in charge there's absolutely no motive to make the place work - at all.
hardup
says...
4:44pm Sun 15 Mar 09
New 2 Trow
says...
3:16pm Tue 17 Mar 09
Also while I am on one, how arrogant does Mr Mayor Cllr Paul Skidmore sound: “I think a precept of 21 pence extra per week is neither here nor there. I say go ahead with it.”
It might not be to you Mr Mayor but there are some people for whom ANY rise in outgoings at the moment is EXTREMELY UNWANTED!!!
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moonrakin wurzel says...
7:18pm Thu 12 Mar 09
upgraded stages
retractable seating
improved lighting
heating systems
are all things that promoters regularly put into venues for events.
The issue with St. Margaret's Hall is that it's too low capacity to support events that'd make money.
Most local councils have a woeful record of making municipal buildings pay for themselves - stand up WWDC!.
This smacks of municipal arrogance and conceit and perchance a budget that needs to be spent?.
It's a smashing location - car park, railway station , riverside walks - but - even at present it's too expensive for the sorts of events that will pull a decent local crowd and in general the bar and catering are usually miserable.
It's a local facility - for local people - why not try dropping the hall prices and get in some people who know how to run a bar and serve decent food at the right price.
The hall doesn't seem to be promoted very much - possibly because the administrators get paid whether there's successful events or *not*
Looks like a case for a B-o-A referendum to me.