Support blooms to keep Floral Hall serving coastal community

The ageing arts and entertainments centre was controv-ersially due to be replaced by a new multi-purpose centre attached to the leisure centre at the southern end of the Promenade.

But funding for the 5m project, which depended on cash from Yorkshire Forward, has fallen victim to public spending cuts and the project with hundreds of others, is in limbo.

Council leader Stephen Parnaby recently blamed "local wrangling and delay" for losing valuable time, saying the council was ready to move as long ago as 2005. But it appears support is strong as ever for keeping the Floral Hall where it is.

Hornsea resident Michael Parry has collected more than 2,400 signatures by leaving a petition in the popular cafe at the Floral Hall for people to sign.

"Common sense is there's money available, why not just use part of it to restore it?" he said.

"It does need money to restore – there's a lot wrong with the Floral Hall but it can be put right.

"It should be renovated not removed. The place where they are allegedly going to move the Floral Hall has nothing like the views they've got where it is now. There's three free car parking spaces in Hornsea and this is one of them."

The petition will be presented to a meeting of the greater prosperity overview and scrutiny committee which meets next Thursday, at Brough Business Centre.

Independent Barbara Jefferson will speak at the meeting in support of Mr Parry. She fears the 3m put aside by East Riding Council for the development could now be lost.

"What I understand is that if Yorkshire Forward doesn't give us the 1.5m, the 3m which is in the pot won't then come to Hornsea. I am very concerned as the Floral Hall will need money spending on it.

"I'd urge East Riding officers and members to listen to the people which is what the new coalition Government has said and put that money into doing up the hall."

East Riding Council pressed ahead with plans for the centre in spite of two surveys, including one in 2008, which said the "overwhelming popular view" was for a new centre on the old site.

Feelings had been so strong that Yorkshire Forward took the "unprecedented" step of making the scheme subject to another independent study, which recommended the leisure centre site.

The plans were finally approved by councillors in March, with just one member voting against.

The council is keen on linking the new centre to the leisure centre to cut costs.

Plans included a 300-seat auditorium and stage area; dressing rooms and a function room and two additional meeting rooms.

There would also have been space for three workshop studios and a new shared entrance lobby between the two buildings, including a reception, caf and exhibition area.

Speaking earlier this month Coun Parnaby said the outlook for the new centre in its present form "is not good."

He said: "If we could have moved faster, I am confident we could have got the funding package sorted and been on with the job to the benefit of Hornsea residents and visitors."

A spokesman for East Riding Council said: "There is not and has never been a scheme to refurbish the Floral Hall.

"There is only one scheme, which is currently with Yorkshire Forward.

"We are hoping for a decision from them in late autumn pending the outcome of the comprehensive spending review."