About a month ago I was given a flyer and asked to mention it on the blog. Time has flown by and the day has arrived for the Women’s World Day of Prayer. Each year women from a different country put together the service and this year it is by Suriname. But having checked I now see that due to worsening weather the event has been POSTPONED. The hope is to rearrange in the near future.
I was very glad to get back to Abingdon after a long drive home from Bedford this evening.
The roads and pavements are likely to be slippery again tomorrow. A number of schools are closed.
Article in Oxford Mail/Herald about Guildhall repairs. http://www.heraldseries.co.uk/news/16060533.Council_faces___39_at_least__39____176k_repair_bill_to_reopen_Abbey_Hall/
I can’t see the new cinema operator wanting to pay out £176k before they even put a seat in?!!!
Strikes me as someone has been very negligent in allowing the building to deteriorate to such an extent! Heads should roll…but I bet no-one even gets a slap on the wrist!
Just demolish it and build a fit for purpose building somewhere else! Cut your (OUR!) losses now!
Perhaps the council have plans for the building which they consider more advantageous …
Aside from this one wonders how previous extensive use of consultants/architects missed the extent of these problems and why the TC allowed The Vale to pull the wool over their eyes in the first place.
Hmmm….should we call in Abingdon’s favourite builders, you think newcomer?
Maybe THEY can turn it into a profit…..for themselves?
Isn’t there a remaining budget – originally allocated for the refurbishment of the Abbey Hall and other than (spent) consultants fees, still available? Couldn’t this pot be used to get the building back to a condition that it can be used by the residents of this poverty-stricken town of Abingdon? Cheaper than demolition and new build surely? It would appear that we have an entertainment operator (Regal) prepared to invest in Abingdon – providing cinema, stage and gallery/exhibition facilities to this cultural desert of a past County Town (albeit Berks) – and prepared to rent the space from the custodians of Abingdon’s civic property portfolio (TC)! Surely we should be falling over backwards to ensure this happens! The Community Hub proposal (by TC) appears to be based on moving the Library from a purpose-built venue to a large performance space – totally unsuitable – even if the attraction is more to do with the CC paying the TC for the space! Other questions then arise – what is happening with the existing library – is there finally a way forward for the development of the Charter? If this was the case (unlikely), then wouldn’t the Old Abbey House be a better venue for a Library/Community Hub – another building currently abandoned (and deteriorating) – we could even have a (much needed) cafe overlooking the beautiful gardens of Abbey Park – I can see the tables and chairs outside on those balmy summer days!!
Knock it down and build a new one in North Abingdon, instead of 900 houses.
Meanwhile, for those who pray; please pray for Surinam, while you are also praying for Abingdon.