Show of support for threatened seaside entertainment venue

A SURVEY is going to be carried out of an ageing East Coast entertainment centre as residents step up their plans to save it from a council bulldozer.

Around 180 people attended a meeting on Tuesday night to get the latest update on plans to run the Hornsea Floral Hall themselves.

East Riding Council last month gave the hall a six-month reprieve for a community-led plan to be prepared.

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If accepted the freehold of the hall will be offered to the town council at no cost.

Otherwise the building - said to be losing £100,000 a year - would be knocked down and turned into a car park.

Hornsea councillor John Whittle, who is chairing a working party, said the survey would be carried out soon by a team of voluntary professionals, adding: “I was very pleased by the number of people there and very pleased by the fact we still have the enthusiasm and interest in the ongoing fight over the Hall.”

Chairman of the Hornsea Floral Hall steering group Ron Bee said the project was still in its early stages.

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He explained: “There are different routes to go down and we haven’t yet taken legal advice for a project of this size and nature. There are so many balls to juggle.

“We know there’s provision in the (council’s) capital budget for something to be done with the Floral Hall but it depends on the financial case we put forward.”

He added: “The ball is definitely being kept rolling - the community is well behind it.”

Fundraising has already begun and there are plans for a rock concert with local group Dr Jekyll’s Secretary offering to perform for free.

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The venue, which celebrates its centenary next year, hosts amateur dramatics, discos and many other events and has seen the likes of Bryan Ferry and Slade tread its boards.

It still has huge support in the town, with more than 500 people attending a mass protest against the demolition plans.