Council issues call to keep Bognor Regis Town Hall as an asset of community value

The town council was originally made a community asset back in 2018, when councillors successfully filed for a five year application. On April 20, the licence will expire, and officers are calling on the public to help a propel an effort to renew it.

In order to nominate the town hall, councillors are undertaking research on the use of the town hall by the public. In order to take part, pick up a paper copy at the town hall reception, or find a digital version online, at bognoregis.gov.uk. This version must be downloaded, printed off, filled in and returned to the town hall at PO21 1LD.

The survey asks members of the public a series of questions about their use of the venue – including the reason for their visit, the frequency of their visits, and their awareness of services offered by the venue.

It also asks residents to assess the suitability of the town hall, its importance to the community, and explain how they might feel if services currently provided at the venue were moved elsewhere.

Assets of community value are properties, whether they are buildings or pieces of land, which are used to advance the interests of a given community. Anything from village shops to pubs, to children’s centre can be deemed to have community value, so long as its primary intention is to support the community.

Mandee Keeling-Ward, who fought for the building’s grade II listing, said the building’s status as an asset of community value is an important part of safeguarding it for use in the community.

"There are three really important buildings in Bognor – we’ve got the Picturedrome, Hotham Park House, and the town hall,” she explained. “And I would rather die then see it turned into flats, and that’s what I’m worried will happen if we ignore it. It’ll be dwarfed by this hotel, so we need to make sure we can repair it and make it look nice.

"I just think it’s a really important place to keep and it must be kept. Bognor Regis deserves something nice.”

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