What Ealing's Saying
Here’s a taste of what local residents have been saying when they’ve signed the petition against Ealing’s Council’s efforts to sell off the Victoria Hall:
“I have lived in Ealing for the majority of my life and worked for the Council for 32 years, I still have connections with Ealing. My godmother was a Freeman of the Borough and will be turning in her grave at this proposal. It is a disgrace that the Council is trying to off load their responsibility for the maintenance of the building, which they have neglected for many, many years. It is a beautiful building that needs to be kept for the use of the public at a reasonable price.”
“There is a sad lack of 'community' space throughout the borough, and letting this go will aggravate the situation.”
“Oi! Ealing Council! This beautiful landmark building was given to us, the people, and it's not yours to sell off for short term profit. And anyway, if anything Ealing needs more community spaces, not fewer - so get your thieving mitts off.”
“Ealing Council are destroying the soul of Ealing Broadway: Dickens Yard, getting rid of three quarters of the library, the whole Filmworks luxury flats project. Ealing needs community spaces so that we can build community.”
“The building was paid for by public donations and the Charitable Trust was established to manage the Halls and rooms for public hire for meetings and social events. The sale to developers for a boutique hotel would mean that public access to the Halls will be much more limited than at present and the hotel operator will obviously seek to make a profit from them without compensating the Trust for the loss of assets with a capital value of millions of pounds.”
“I think it is wrong that a public asset should be disposed of in this way with limited future availability for the local community. Local asset for local people, hands off!!”
“Ealing Council needs to think again! They blocked the renovation of the Victoria Hall years ago and now they want to steal the space from the people of Ealing. It's not on! Pitzhanger Manor, Gunnersbury Park and now this...Grrr!”
“I’m the member of a choir that had been using the Victoria Hall for the best part of a century, until recent years when the Council priced us out of it. I’ve looked at the Community Use Protocol which looks for like a Community Not Use Protocol not only because the community discount rates don’t apply on the Friday, Saturday & Sundays that we perform, but we’re unlikely to be considered as local because of the exceptionally tight rules proposed for defining a local community group.”
“It’s another attempt by Ealing Council to give our childrens’ inheritance away. I've enjoyed events at this Hall so many times over the years. Charity Commission what are you doing?”
“I looked at the Council’s Community Use Protocol and was shocked to see that there’s no obligation for them, to have anyone representing the community on the working group that will oversee the community arrangements.
“The Hall is a valuable part of Ealing's heritage - which the Council is seeking to destroy without reference to the electorate.”
“It's absurd that in a borough with a vibrant and active arts scene, there's no central public performance space. A boutique hotel would benefit an elite few, but this Hall was built by given to the whole community. This place isn't the Council's property to sell, so hands off!”
“The Victoria Hall was paid for by public subscription for local communities to use. For over 100 years it’s served us all proud and it should continue to do so. I doubt we’ll get it back at the end of the 250 years the Council’s selling it off for. And for only £2.5 million!”
“It's absurd that in a borough with a vibrant and active arts scene, there's no central public performance space. A boutique hotel would benefit an elite few, but this Hall was built by given to the whole community. This place isn't the Council's property to sell, so hands off!”
“Ealing has many hotels already and this council has eaten away at many public owned places such as Haven Green! They obviously don’t have any respect for public spaces and they should be stopped!”
“This is an historic landmark building, created by the community to be used purely for charitable purposes. Using it to create a hotel or any other commercial interest flies in the face of those wishes, and deprives the community of its asset. If the Council does not need it, there are myriad opportunities to use it in community service. As trustees, surely the councillors in question need to abide by the trust put in them, and not set it aside.”
“We don't need another hotel. We need places to create and maintain community. Ealing Council should stop creating more strain on our infrastructure.”
“It is outrageous that this is even being considered and The Charities Commission should have flexed its muscles and stopped Ealing Council months ago. Victoria Hall belongs to the public. We do not want a smaller and less suitable alternative as a ‘swap’ while our hall gets subsumed into the greedy Council’s plans for a hotel. We need to fight for this, folks. The Council are going too far, yet again!”
“Let's not cave in to the Tory government by selling off our local family silver. Labour has complete control in Ealing's council and should use that to save and to protect our heritage.”
“Ealing Council has no right - either legal or moral - to dispose of the Victoria Hall to a private company. I would like it used as a music/arts venue. And I would also like a pipe organ to be re-installed - I have an old photo showing one in situ. This was a common thing in town halls and one I would like to see again.”
“Once heritage is lost there is no going back. Ealing has very little architectural heritage, we must keep the buildings we still have.“
“This is an historic landmark building, created by the community to be used purely for charitable purposes. Using it to create a hotel or any other commercial interest flies in the face of those wishes, and deprives the community of its asset. If the Council does not need it, there are myriad opportunities to use it in community service. As trustees surely the councillors in question need to abide by the trust put in them, and not set it aside...”
“This is the only place in Ealing where the community can gather in large numbers to discuss important matters of local concern. It was set up for charitable purposes and should not be sold off to a commercial interest.”
“This is part of Ealing's heritage and beautiful buildings like this add so much to the community, and should remain available to the community.”
“I have been to many and various events at the Victoria Hall over my 50 years in Ealing and it is unthinkable that this valuable resource, which was built from public funds for the use of the community and is still very much needed by many groups in that community, should be cavalierly sold off by the council to help solve their current financial difficulties. Even if these are serious (and brought about by this Conservative government who are happy to starve local councils) nothing can justify the theft and permanent loss of OUR hall!”
“Uncomfortable that a community resource is being planned for profitable purposes and by a Labour council!”
“I understand local authorities are under financial pressures because of national Conservative government austerity cuts but the privatisation of Ealing Town Hall to turn it into a hotel is too substantial a loss of public realm for the community. “
“I think it is wrong that a public asset should be disposed of in this way with limited future availability for the local community. Local asset for local people, hands off!!”
Have you signed the petition yet? Do it now! https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/save-the-victoria-hall-1?
“I have lived in Ealing for the majority of my life and worked for the Council for 32 years, I still have connections with Ealing. My godmother was a Freeman of the Borough and will be turning in her grave at this proposal. It is a disgrace that the Council is trying to off load their responsibility for the maintenance of the building, which they have neglected for many, many years. It is a beautiful building that needs to be kept for the use of the public at a reasonable price.”
“There is a sad lack of 'community' space throughout the borough, and letting this go will aggravate the situation.”
“Oi! Ealing Council! This beautiful landmark building was given to us, the people, and it's not yours to sell off for short term profit. And anyway, if anything Ealing needs more community spaces, not fewer - so get your thieving mitts off.”
“Ealing Council are destroying the soul of Ealing Broadway: Dickens Yard, getting rid of three quarters of the library, the whole Filmworks luxury flats project. Ealing needs community spaces so that we can build community.”
“The building was paid for by public donations and the Charitable Trust was established to manage the Halls and rooms for public hire for meetings and social events. The sale to developers for a boutique hotel would mean that public access to the Halls will be much more limited than at present and the hotel operator will obviously seek to make a profit from them without compensating the Trust for the loss of assets with a capital value of millions of pounds.”
“I think it is wrong that a public asset should be disposed of in this way with limited future availability for the local community. Local asset for local people, hands off!!”
“Ealing Council needs to think again! They blocked the renovation of the Victoria Hall years ago and now they want to steal the space from the people of Ealing. It's not on! Pitzhanger Manor, Gunnersbury Park and now this...Grrr!”
“I’m the member of a choir that had been using the Victoria Hall for the best part of a century, until recent years when the Council priced us out of it. I’ve looked at the Community Use Protocol which looks for like a Community Not Use Protocol not only because the community discount rates don’t apply on the Friday, Saturday & Sundays that we perform, but we’re unlikely to be considered as local because of the exceptionally tight rules proposed for defining a local community group.”
“It’s another attempt by Ealing Council to give our childrens’ inheritance away. I've enjoyed events at this Hall so many times over the years. Charity Commission what are you doing?”
“I looked at the Council’s Community Use Protocol and was shocked to see that there’s no obligation for them, to have anyone representing the community on the working group that will oversee the community arrangements.
“The Hall is a valuable part of Ealing's heritage - which the Council is seeking to destroy without reference to the electorate.”
“It's absurd that in a borough with a vibrant and active arts scene, there's no central public performance space. A boutique hotel would benefit an elite few, but this Hall was built by given to the whole community. This place isn't the Council's property to sell, so hands off!”
“The Victoria Hall was paid for by public subscription for local communities to use. For over 100 years it’s served us all proud and it should continue to do so. I doubt we’ll get it back at the end of the 250 years the Council’s selling it off for. And for only £2.5 million!”
“It's absurd that in a borough with a vibrant and active arts scene, there's no central public performance space. A boutique hotel would benefit an elite few, but this Hall was built by given to the whole community. This place isn't the Council's property to sell, so hands off!”
“Ealing has many hotels already and this council has eaten away at many public owned places such as Haven Green! They obviously don’t have any respect for public spaces and they should be stopped!”
“This is an historic landmark building, created by the community to be used purely for charitable purposes. Using it to create a hotel or any other commercial interest flies in the face of those wishes, and deprives the community of its asset. If the Council does not need it, there are myriad opportunities to use it in community service. As trustees, surely the councillors in question need to abide by the trust put in them, and not set it aside.”
“We don't need another hotel. We need places to create and maintain community. Ealing Council should stop creating more strain on our infrastructure.”
“It is outrageous that this is even being considered and The Charities Commission should have flexed its muscles and stopped Ealing Council months ago. Victoria Hall belongs to the public. We do not want a smaller and less suitable alternative as a ‘swap’ while our hall gets subsumed into the greedy Council’s plans for a hotel. We need to fight for this, folks. The Council are going too far, yet again!”
“Let's not cave in to the Tory government by selling off our local family silver. Labour has complete control in Ealing's council and should use that to save and to protect our heritage.”
“Ealing Council has no right - either legal or moral - to dispose of the Victoria Hall to a private company. I would like it used as a music/arts venue. And I would also like a pipe organ to be re-installed - I have an old photo showing one in situ. This was a common thing in town halls and one I would like to see again.”
“Once heritage is lost there is no going back. Ealing has very little architectural heritage, we must keep the buildings we still have.“
“This is an historic landmark building, created by the community to be used purely for charitable purposes. Using it to create a hotel or any other commercial interest flies in the face of those wishes, and deprives the community of its asset. If the Council does not need it, there are myriad opportunities to use it in community service. As trustees surely the councillors in question need to abide by the trust put in them, and not set it aside...”
“This is the only place in Ealing where the community can gather in large numbers to discuss important matters of local concern. It was set up for charitable purposes and should not be sold off to a commercial interest.”
“This is part of Ealing's heritage and beautiful buildings like this add so much to the community, and should remain available to the community.”
“I have been to many and various events at the Victoria Hall over my 50 years in Ealing and it is unthinkable that this valuable resource, which was built from public funds for the use of the community and is still very much needed by many groups in that community, should be cavalierly sold off by the council to help solve their current financial difficulties. Even if these are serious (and brought about by this Conservative government who are happy to starve local councils) nothing can justify the theft and permanent loss of OUR hall!”
“Uncomfortable that a community resource is being planned for profitable purposes and by a Labour council!”
“I understand local authorities are under financial pressures because of national Conservative government austerity cuts but the privatisation of Ealing Town Hall to turn it into a hotel is too substantial a loss of public realm for the community. “
“I think it is wrong that a public asset should be disposed of in this way with limited future availability for the local community. Local asset for local people, hands off!!”
Have you signed the petition yet? Do it now! https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/save-the-victoria-hall-1?