Lyme: Parents appeal to council to utilise former boys' club building for young people (From Bridport and Lyme Regis News)

Lyme: Parents appeal to council to utilise former boys' club building for young people

10:53am Thursday 26th November 2009

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PARENTS in Lyme Regis have called on the town council to increase the pressure to bring the former Boys’ Club building back into use for young people.

The Lyme Regis Club for Young People wants to sell its Church Street building but the sale has been held up by an ancient covenant which restricts the use of the building.

The Diocese of Salisbury and St Michael’s Parochial Church Council (PCC) agreed in September to relax the covenant but stated it must be used solely for the benefit of young people.

But parents and youth workers in Lyme want to see quick action to bring it back into use for the youth of the town.

At last week’s town council meeting, a letter was read out from parent and youth worker Fran Williams urging the authority to inspect the premises.

Mrs Williams said the council’s involvement in hopefully bringing the Three Cups Hotel back into use ‘must be a good thing’, but added: “May I draw councillors’ attention to another empty building that is probably even more vulnerable and as important, if not more so – the Club for Young People.”

Mrs Williams said a petition with 400 signatures was recently sent to the club’s trustees asking them not to sell the building, with 40 per cent of signatures from young people. “This petition shows the depth of feeling from Lyme residents about the club being left empty and not available for use,” she said.

“The trustees appear to have just shut the doors of a good building thus denying the young people an invaluable service.”

A group of parents have written to the club committee to share their concerns and sent copies of the letter to West Dorset MP Oliver Letwin, the PCC and other relevant bodies.

Mrs Williams asked the council: “Is it possible for your council to inspect these premises to verify their condition and put pressure on the trustees to pass ownership of the building, either by sale or gift, to an authority which has the necessary capital to manage it and provide the range of youth services for Lyme Regis, which are urgently needed?”

The Lyme Regis Club for Young People did not wish to comment this week.

The matter is expected to be discussed at Lyme Regis Town Council’s policy committee meeting on December 9.

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