New bid to save Horsham’s historic Drill Hall
and live on Freeview channel 276
A petition to save the hall - in Denne Road - built for the local Battalion of the Royal Sussex Regiment in the 1920s - has been launched by Horsham Blueprint Neighbourhood Forum. Hundreds have already signed it.
The petition follows a public outcry which erupted last week after Horsham District Council first announced that it was considering replacing the hall with ‘affordable homes.’
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdAnd former district Councillor Christian Mitchell joined in public opposition to the proposals and called for the landmark building to be saved.
Now Horsham Blueprint Neighbourhood Forum, in its on-line petition, is also putting forward strong opposition.
It says: “When the old Horsham Town Hall was closed, residents were promised that the Drill Hall would remain as the community hall for the town.
“It hosts concerts, beer festivals, job fairs, dances, adult education, the list goes on. It remains the only venue in Horsham able to host many of these functions,”
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdCouncillors will be asked to approve a business case for converting the Drill Hall into homes and for a new community centre to be built at Highwood at a meeting on Thursday (January 23).
Meanwhile, Horsham Blueprint Forum say the alternative facilities being proposed by the council at Highwood are ‘wholly inadequate and contrary to the emerging draft Neighbourhood Plan.’
They are urging people to sign their petition at https://www.change.org/SaveHorshamDrillHall