Armbands for Music in The Park are selling fast. They can be bought from the Town Council Reception if you can find it. It moved over the weekend to The Guildhall.
On Saturday the reception was still at Old Abbey House. But everything was packed to move, and old papers were in white bags to be sent to be shredded.
There has been a time of change at the Town Council with the move to the Guildhall, and a change of job roles generally. Recently the Town Council said goodbye to Sandra (Deputy Town Clerk), Marianne (Market Place Co-ordinator and Twin Towns Rep), and Sue (Mayor’s Secretary).
Their old offices stand empty waiting to see who buys Old Abbey House. Will it be an Art Centre, a Hotel, or Accommodation?
Does anyone know whether The Vale is actually allowed to just decide that they feel like selling Old Abbey House? Just because they may ‘own’ it…are they not atually merely charged with its ownership on behalf of the people of Abingdon? Its a council building. That means its ‘ours’….not ‘theres’, doesn’t it?
Daniel – the Friends of Abingdon have just written a detailed letter to the Vale, challenging them on a number of questions like this – also issues relating to public access to the garden, compliance with heritage protection, consultation etc.
Also there is a motion related to this on the agenda for tomorrow’s Vale Council meeting (unfortunately being held in Wantage).
Watch this space!
it’s bad day for Abingdon to lose such capable and hard working people, Sandra, Marianne and Sue will be a hard act to follow and were much appreciated by all who love Abingdon. Why did they decide to leave all at the same time??
Thanks Hester. I have also enquiref at the land registry to see what the deeds actually say as well….
I certainly will be interested in the outcome!
Indeed very sad to lose these 3 very hard working, dedicated and valued members of staff, and not forgetting others who’ve left suddenly in recent times who’ve not been mentioned anywhere.
Oh Houdini, who and why? these are such valuable members of Abingdon’s community, we can’t afford to loose them !
Better to ask the staff maybe? Anyway, gone now…..
So, the Land Registry shows a couple of interesting things….
In 2006 the site was valued at £4.7m…. and we’re now past the 2007 property price peak….so I wonder what it is worth now!?
Secondly…the ‘site’ is HUGE…and the details on the registry show that the “land” is far greater than the Abbey Building and immediate gardens behind….
It does appear to include ALL of Abbey Gardens – where Queen Victoria is, the ‘park’ where the family fun day is held, all the way down to the lake/pond. In fact it is the WHOLE are between Abbey Close, Burgess Close and Thames View – more a less….
Is it the WHOLE of this site that is being sold off by the Vale? Or just the building itself? How will just part of it be up for sale when the deeds includes the whole space…
incidentally…the “site” also seems to include the Vale HQ building too (and most of the car park)!
I think any questions to the Vale need to ask exactly WHAT is up for Sale…?
All of the site detailed in the deeds – or just the Abbey Building itself?
If it’s ALL of it…what does that mean for all that public space, car parks, Abbey Ruins, gardens…and that HUGE modern office block?
I am sure the Vale will be happy to clarify! And also ensure “we” all get adequate access to the whole process of selling off OUR building – or indeed land….
The Vale does have a good record on all this sort of thing…don’t they….
FInally…as it’ll get sold off, rightly or wrongly…what exactly is that £5m+ going to be spent on…what “Capital Projects”?
My late uncle moved Queen Victoria from the Market place to her resting place now in the Abbey Grounds, apparently she was getting damaged every year by Abingdon fair, despite being boarded up each year.
@daniel The estate agents details at http://commercialsearch.savills.co.uk/property-detail/3011 and the PDF at http://commercialsearch.savills.co.uk/content/assets/3011/Sales%20Details%20240314.pdf show that it is only the building and front grounds that are for sale (red area).
It also says “Our client would also consider offers for the additional hatched blue area.”… the blue area is the garden behind.
It also says: “The site is owned freehold by the vendor
under a registered title no.ON263379”. Is that the land registry deeds you were looking at?
Daniel – you can find details of what is being offered for sale on the Savills Commercial Property website – basically it is Old Abbey House and it’s immediately adjacent garden I.e the bit inside the low wall. So the value will be rather less than the figure you found.
Bids closed on 30 April – we know that there are several and that at least one is from a group offering community use. The Vale have offered to meet the Friends of Abingdon to discuss our questions – I am sure we will accept their offer, but are waiting to hear what happens at tonight’s Council meeting.
In the meantime do please raise your questions with your local Councillor – it is useful for them to understand the concerns of their electors!
I hope that they handle this deal far better than the deal they’ve done in Botley.
There were all sorts of assurances given there that were blown out of the water when the final plans were put forward.
@Steven Green – yes, that is the same Land Registry number (ON263379). I guess then, they are just selling a bit of it.
I’d still be interested in any legal ‘argument’ regarding the fact that “it is owned by the freeholder”, which implies they can do what they like…when surely it is (I’d have thought), a public building, for the ‘public’ of Abingdon, and is “owned” on their behalf by their representatives at the Vale. I can’t see anything in the Deeds…but if someone wants to take a look, they are readily available from the Land Registry website – or I can tell you what it says…
Or of course…just let them sell it. Who cares?
Daniel – luckily you are not alone – a lot of us care very passionately and are working hard to get a better solution. We now know that all Vale Councillors will be consulted before a decision is made, so do please contact your local councillor to let him/her know how important this is to you.
Hi Hester – it is great to hear that others are passionate about what is best for Abingdon, especially if they are also able to commit more time a d energy to be so.
Whilst I am a bit of an idealist….I am also a pessimistic realist (a glass that is half full will only get less full and so the situation is only destined to get worse than it currently is)…with this in mind, I firmly believe that a deal will already have been struck. Whether it meets the needs of the town will come well below things such as profit.
A better solution is that it isn’t sold. I guess really we’re all just wondering (if many others are actually that concerned) what “pile em high, sell them at the current market value” flats will be created.
The only positive that MAY be achieved is that, when the deal is done and papers signed…this time it will be the Vale who’ll suddenly renegotiate the price, due uto market forces, and that the price has gone UP….
If only we could hold such faith in our decision makers!
I’ll write to my councillor Hester. I’ll even offer to help in your efforts. I’ll contact Abingdon First to see what they can fathom… However I fear the bare bottom of that glass looms…
To Steve King, many of the workers from the original offices haven’t gone. Like myself there are a few new workers but we plan to keep the high costumer service that the public expect.