Memorial Hall and Corner House up for Sale ?

Tue 5 Mar 2013, 22:54

I'm not sure that any attempt to convert the Corner House into bijou executive flats would take off, not least because it's a Listed Building! I suspect this is largely a case of Chinese whispers. But reading between the lines...

As you might know, the Memorial Hall is about to be upgraded at significant cost. At the same time, the Community Centre on the Spendlove is close to getting the go-ahead - I believe, though I stand to be corrected, that an opening in 2015 is very much on the cards. Given that it's been talked about for the 15 years I've been in Charlbury and evidently much longer, this is quite something.

It doesn't make a whole lot of sense to spend a lot of money on the Memorial Hall, and an even larger amount (from various sources) on the Community Centre, without working out how they're going to coexist together. There have been discussions about that and about whether there's any funding available in Charlbury to help these developments go forward - indeed, a meeting was held with representatives of the various organisations the other week. I'm guessing that's where this rumour has sprung from.

My understanding is that the Corner House & War Memorial Hall Committee are confident that they will continue to be busy after the Community Centre opens. Assuming the Community Centre can be funded satisfactorily, then that really is as far as it goes. If it can't, then presumably Charlbury would have to decide which it wanted, but I don't believe that's an issue right now. (But I'm not on the Corner House Committee or the Gifford Trust, so there are doubtless those who can speak more definitively.) Any ideas of turning the Corner House into deluxe yuppie flats I suspect are at the level of pub conversations or random e-mail discussions - everyone has idle chats now and then but that doesn't mean the bulldozers are moving in tomorrow.

(Obvious disclaimer: I'm writing this in a personal capacity; I'm privileged to have been elected as a town councillor and so know a little about some of the background. I also live over the wall from the Memorial Hall and so you might think I have a vested interest in it not being developed for housing!)

Richard