The owners of Newby and Scalby Community Hall have confirmed their intention to proceed with the sale of the venue, initiating a six-week interim moratorium period amid strong opposition from local residents.
The owners of a community hall on the Yorkshire Coast have decided to press ahead with its sale despite local objections.
An ‘interim moratorium’ period has been initiated as the trust that manages the Newby and Scalby Community Hall has confirmed its intention to sell the site, which was recently recognised as an asset of community value (ACV).
The community rights team at North Yorkshire Council said Andrew Jackson Solicitors LLP had confirmed the owners’ “intention to dispose of the property” and that a six-week interim moratorium period would be initiated, concluding at midnight on August 19.
If the council receives a request in writing from a community interest group to be treated as a potential bidder during the interim moratorium period, a full six-month moratorium period will be triggered until January 2027
Residents have strongly objected to the sale of the community hall, announced last month by the trustees of the Newby and Scalby Community Hall Trust following an informal tender.
It forms part of a plan to turn the community venue into Wilson’s Food & Community Hall.
However, concerns have been raised about a lack of consultation with the local community and about whether an apparent price of £300,000 represents value for money.
Last week, the Charity Commission confirmed it was looking into the matter and reminded trustees responsible for the community asset that they are
“bound by a legal fiduciary duty to act in good faith and exclusively in the best interests of their charity – at times this might mean taking unpopular and difficult decisions”.
A spokesperson added:
“We will consider the application made against the principles set out in our guidance on trustee decision-making and disposing of land.”
The charity watchdog said it was also
“separately assessing concerns raised with us about Newby and Scalby Community Hall Trust to determine if there is any regulatory role for the commission”.
The Newby and Scalby Community Hall Trust said the hall’s sale would secure its future and create new opportunities to support the local community and that any money generated would remain within the trust and would be “managed responsibly and transparently”.
However, local campaigners have argued that the sale destroys the charity’s core purpose and have demanded the immediate resignation of the current trustees, citing “poor governance, broken promises regarding the surrounding land, and a severe trust gap” with residents.
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