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Civic Centre seven held in contempt Sine Die
(May 21, 2012)A TRIO OF BUSINESSMEN who purchased Warminster Town Hall from convicted offender Pater Caldwell last year plan to use the grand upper floor as a Chinese Restaurant.
Work is being undertaken to clean the exterior but the job is not being done to the exacting standard that would have been applied if Warminster Preservation Trust had gained ownership. Jet washers are in use and other systems that are not regarded as best practice are also being employed.
Steve Dancey, who has been in the vanguard of this issue and opposing the proposals for the Civic Centre (Tirana House), said: "I have no real gripe with the owners, Town Hall Development Ltd, as they are a business and are seeking to make a profit. Let them get on with it and see how they fare.
"I am however extremely angry with the seven members of the town council and town clerk who failed the town and pushed to go ahead with the Civic Centre.
"How dare they come into this town and decide to ignore our most important town centre building. I, and a large number of other Warminster people, will never forgive them for this and hold them in contempt sine die.
"When I say crawl back under your stones I mean it - Many hundreds of locals are totally and utterly disgusted with you and your contempt for the public view."
Paul Macdonald adds ... "The townsfolk for Warminster now have to rally again sometime in the future.
"I think of myself as a local but always admire Steve who is truly local as is this building.
"I too will accept that a responsible commercial owner of the building should be given the chance to make a profit out of it after the disastrous decision making of politicians past.
"But no public money should be now be involved. They have speculated on this building and it is for them to sink or swim.
"Can you imagine me if I was still a Londoner having seen the Albert Hall betrayed by local government and then see it become a Chinese or Thai or Italian or Lebanese restaurant being delighted.
"I pledge I will not eat there even though I love Chinese takeaway as a treat once a month!"
The town council have the power to although not the duty to provide public buildings for use.
"They ran away from this opportunity to give back this building to the public as the then Lord Bath intended it should always be when we called for it," adds Paul Macdonald.
"I do not want them to crawl back under their stones. I want them to tell the public which stones they did not leave unturned to rescue the town hall!"
Work is being undertaken to clean the exterior but the job is not being done to the exacting standard that would have been applied if Warminster Preservation Trust had gained ownership. Jet washers are in use and other systems that are not regarded as best practice are also being employed.
Steve Dancey, who has been in the vanguard of this issue and opposing the proposals for the Civic Centre (Tirana House), said: "I have no real gripe with the owners, Town Hall Development Ltd, as they are a business and are seeking to make a profit. Let them get on with it and see how they fare.
"I am however extremely angry with the seven members of the town council and town clerk who failed the town and pushed to go ahead with the Civic Centre.
"How dare they come into this town and decide to ignore our most important town centre building. I, and a large number of other Warminster people, will never forgive them for this and hold them in contempt sine die.
"When I say crawl back under your stones I mean it - Many hundreds of locals are totally and utterly disgusted with you and your contempt for the public view."
Paul Macdonald adds ... "The townsfolk for Warminster now have to rally again sometime in the future.
"I think of myself as a local but always admire Steve who is truly local as is this building.
"I too will accept that a responsible commercial owner of the building should be given the chance to make a profit out of it after the disastrous decision making of politicians past.
"But no public money should be now be involved. They have speculated on this building and it is for them to sink or swim.
"Can you imagine me if I was still a Londoner having seen the Albert Hall betrayed by local government and then see it become a Chinese or Thai or Italian or Lebanese restaurant being delighted.
"I pledge I will not eat there even though I love Chinese takeaway as a treat once a month!"
The town council have the power to although not the duty to provide public buildings for use.
"They ran away from this opportunity to give back this building to the public as the then Lord Bath intended it should always be when we called for it," adds Paul Macdonald.
"I do not want them to crawl back under their stones. I want them to tell the public which stones they did not leave unturned to rescue the town hall!"