Whitby Town Council is progressing its plan to manage and operate Whitby’s Grade II listed Old Town Hall.
An official expression of interest (EOI) for the town council to run the Old Town Hall in Whitby has been drafted.
The 18th-century Old Town Hall has been undergoing a £1.2 million renovation project, funded by the Government and North Yorkshire Council (NYC), which owns the site as well as the Market Place.
The potential devolution of the Old Town Hall as a community asset was considered last year, and the town council considered applying to take over either the Old Town Hall, the Market Place, or both.
“No specific option was selected at that time,” the town clerk said, and Whitby Town Council instead agreed to express a “broad indication of interest while further work was undertaken”.
The town clerk has “now finalised a draft expression of interest”.
However, he added that
“initial feedback from North Yorkshire Council indicates that greater clarity is required regarding the precise scope of the assets the town council may wish to take on, together with the council’s intended future use of those assets”.
The Old Town Hall and Market Place hold “significant architectural and cultural heritage value for the town of Whitby”.
A report published last year stated that taking over both the building and the Market Place would be advantageous as market income could be used to subsidise the building’s operational costs, and increased control would allow for integrated programming and events.
Councillors have been asked to consider whether WTC’s interest extends to associated areas such as the Market Place and the operation of the market itself.
The town clerk added:
“I am awaiting further feedback from North Yorkshire Council and it is anticipated that, once this has been received, the matter will need to be brought back to full council to seek a clearer strategic steer from members regarding the extent of any proposed asset transfer and the council’s ambitions for future use including consideration of financial, operational, and governance implications.”
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