Crouch End Festival acts to save Community Use in Hornsey Town Hall

The Crouch End Festival (registered name London Community Arts Company No. 08885044) has submitted an application to the London Borough of Haringey asking that Hornsey Town Hall be listed as an asset of community value. This gives 'the community' certain limited rights to bid for a property when it comes up for sale. The London Borough of Haringey on 16th June decided in cabinet to subject the Town Hall to a formal tendering process, in an attempt to find a bidder to take it off their hands. 

Many of us felt that last Tuesday, just after the close of a hugely successful Crouch End Festival with the Town Hall playing a full and inspiring part in proceedings, was exactly the wrong time to take this decision. The submission of this listing marks the launch of the Hornsey Town Hall Appreciation Society, an umbrella body which so far encompasses the groups listed in the Festival's brief note to councillors and council officers (see below), but which we are sure will soon have the support of many more.

Dear All,

 

We attach for your information Crouch End Festival's nomination of Hornsey Town Hall, the Square, and the Green collectively for listing as an Asset of Community Value. A listing which, if achieved, would allow a six month pause in any sale, giving the community time to assemble an alternative plan and possible bid for the Town Hall, Square, and Green.

 

With the launch of a new group, the Hornsey Town Hall Appreciation Society, CEF and prospective partners hope to work with the Hornsey Town Hall Creative Trust, and indeed Haringey itself, to produce a realistic alternative business plan for a Town Hall rescue - not only to keep it operating in the style to which we are fast becoming accustomed, but as an enterprise with a successful profile across the Borough and London.

 

This move has garnered widespread endorsement from other community groups, including Crouch End Open Studios, Hornsey Dance, the HTHAC Creatives, Songworks, the Friends of the Parkland Walk, London Metropolitan Brass Band, Crouch End Walks and the new Crouch End Neighbourhood Forum.

 

We hope you will support it also.