Hornsea Town Council is to purchase the old Methodist Church Hall in the town. This building, situated next to the East Riding of Yorkshire’s Customer Service Centre, will be home to a new council chamber and offices as well as new community facilties.

The council will be holding consultation events to discover how the people of the town would like to use their new acquisition. Suggestions already being considered include a new community hall, space for tourist information, and starter, or “micro” offices.

The Church Hall and its renovation works will be funded by a Public Works Loan over 25 years, which will cost the householders of the town an additional £9 per year (17p per week), on their parish precept. It must be seen as great value, as the council seeks to restore confidence in the main street of Hornsea, employs local people to carry out the work in these recession-hit times and endeavours to provide facilities that will be the envy of any other town in the area, and indeed will encourage people to visit the centre of town to engage in activities in the new hall

A Town Council Working Party has been set up to acquire the building, manage the consultation process and look for additional funding.

Hornsea’s Town Mayor, Cllr John Miller said of the plan: “This is a proud moment for me to be one of the instigators of a new dawn for Hornsea. This project has the potential to form a first class facility, capable of being used by every resident in the town.”

More information about the project is available from Town Clerk Colin O’Connor at clerk@hornsea.gov.uk