Crisis for community groups as Town Hall closes

Plans for seasonal celebrations and activities were thrown into disarray when the town hall was suddenly closed on Tuesday afternoon, forcing the cancellation of all events for the foreseeable future.

The surprise move, by Leeds City Council, came just days after it announced a £250,000 rewiring scheme for the 19th century building.

Now city council chiefs say the existing electrical system is too dangerous for the town hall to remain open and the closure is vital for public safety.

Three events have already been abandoned because of the

last-minute decision, including the town hall playgroup's Christmas party, a brass band concert due to be held last night and Yeadon Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society's carol concert this weekend.

Bryan Hutchinson, chairman of Yeadon Amateurs, said: "It is a shock because our Christmas carol concert has been held for 20 years and is a nice run-up to Christmas.

But he added: "If it is a decision that has been made for safety

reasons then we don't want people to be at risk." Mr Hutchinson said he felt the concert could go ahead if the council would provide emergency lighting through generators with independent cable.

"There is a Dunkirk spirit in Yeadon Amateurs but it appears there is none in Leeds City Council. We can go to the moon but we cannot light Yeadon Town Hall," he said.

Leeds City Council has notified all organisations about the closure and has offered to help find alternative arrangements.

A spokesman said: "We know and apologise for the fact that this closure will cause inconvenience but public safety is paramount.

"Consequently when we discovered the extent of the problem we had no alternative but to close the building. How long it will be closed is not at this stage known, but given its importance to the local community, every effort will be made to re-open it as soon as possible."

However, Richard Hughes-Rowlands, chairman of Yeadon Town Hall Users' Group - which days before had been celebrating news of the £250,000 boost - said the decision was 'terrible and shocking'. "It is going to cause chaos for a number of

organisations which use the hall," he said.

City councillor Moira Dunn (Lab, Aireborough) said she only heard the news on Tuesday. "I feel as if someone has punched me and I have just got up from the floor. The town hall is sacred to Yeadon people," she said.

Jean Shaw, an official of Yeadon Charities Association, said the future of its next pantomime - an annual event for 60 years - was now in jeopardy, threatening funds for the town's traditional old people's outing.

She said: "We are due to put on Aladdin in January and I just don't know what we are going to do. We put on our show to raise money for the annual old people's trip to the coast.

"We could ask if Guiseley Theatre is available, but we have sold 500 seats for each of the

matinee performances and Guiseley Theatre cannot take that number."

But Mary Eggleston, secretary of Guiseley Amateur Operatic Society, said several groups had made inquiries about hiring the theatre, including Aireborough Gilbert and Sullivan Society and Rawdon Amateur Operatic Society, for their productions.

"The theatre committee is to consider their requests but a

decision has yet to be made," she said.

While each one seeks a solution, a leading campaigner for an Aireborough parish council has accused the city council of shutting down the 'social and cultural heart' of the community.

Graham Latty, of Rawdon, said: "Leeds City Council and its representatives in Aireborough must have been aware for a long time that this situation existed and yet it is allowed to get to the stage where closure is the only

option."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.