Charity Commission Urged to Investigate Sale of Yorkshire Coast Community Hall

The proposed sale of a Yorkshire Coast community hall to local business owners has sparked transparency concerns and prompted a local councillor to request an investigation by the Charity Commission.

The planned sale of Newby and Scalby community hall has been flagged to the Charity Commission over concerns about transparency.

Louise and Adrian Wilson, who run award-winning Wilsons Food Hall in Seamer, plan to turn the Newby and Scalby Community Hall into Wilsons Food & Community Hall, a go-to destination for all ages, backgrounds and abilities.

Local residents have said that the “loss of this hall would be a major blow to the community” and the proposed sale has been raised with the Charity Commission by a member of Scarborough Town Council.

This week, the trustees of Newby and Scalby Community Hall Trust announced the successful bid, following an informal tender, for the Community Hall building, which they said would secure the future of the Trust and create new opportunities to support the local community.

The building was listed for £300,000 on Rightmove, and while the Trust has said that any money generated will remain within the Trust and will be “managed responsibly and transparently”, residents have claimed they were not consulted about the proposed sale.

The plans have sparked a row in the community and an ‘urgent’ meeting, attended by more than 100 residents, was held on Thursday, June 11.

Local resident Fiona Mullane, who attended the “very fruitful meeting”, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS):

“Things seem to be moving rather too quickly, but the trustees seem eager to pursue this, even though they know the local strength of feeling.”

She added:

“We need to save the hall, and to pursue a sale is fundamentally wrong.”

Mr Wilson said:

“We are delighted to have successfully won the bid and tender to purchase the Newby and Scalby Community Hall (subject to contract).

“The trust has been very clear in their requirements to make sure that the village hall continues to be a go-to community destination fit for the future, accommodating as many community-based activities as possible.”

The 4,000 sq ft hall was previously run by Scarborough Borough Council before ownership was transferred to the trust.

Chris Clark, an elected member of Scarborough Town Council, has urged the Charity Commission to investigate the sale and to review concerns about potential conflict of interest and whether best value was obtained.

Cllr Clark said:

“In conjunction with this plan, the trustees have started a new charity, too recent to have released a financial update, that, amongst other things, intends to ‘Make Grants To Organisations’.

“The result would seem to be that the hall will be lost to the Newby and Scalby Community, and no one has any idea of who would be the recipients of these grants.”

He added that there had been “little communication with community stakeholders” and asked the regulator whether it had received “any complaints or opened any case relating to this charity?”.

New members of the Newby and Scalby Community Hall Trust said that they when they joined in 2024, they inherited “a number of significant challenges, including property registration matters, increasing compliance obligations and the need for further investment in the ageing building”.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the trust added:

“Following a detailed review of the charity’s position and after taking professional advice, the trustees concluded that selling the hall building was the most responsible way to protect the charity’s assets and ensure its long-term future.”

Louise Wilson said:

“We’re passionate about creating strong community spaces that people can feel proud of.

”Wilsons Food Hall is highly valued by local residents – and we want to replicate that in Scalby.

“Our vision is to expand even further our involvement within the community, and learn from all the engaging and supporting activities and projects already implemented within the Seamer village and its surroundings.

“The hall will continue to serve as a base for local clubs while also hosting food-related events, community meals, educational workshops and social gatherings.

”And we want to improve and upgrade the facilities of the hall to provide showering and washing facilities for local sports clubs, such as the Scalby tennis and bowls clubs, giving them a provision similar to that of a clubhouse.”