Pelham House may be sold

HISTORIC Pelham House, headquarters of East Sussex County Council in Lewes, could be sold off to ease the council s cash problems.

The council would probably relocate its 60 clerical, legal and reception staff currently in the St Andrews Lane building to County Hall which has spare space.

Pelham House, built in 1579 as a town mansion for a London courtier, has been occupied by the county council since 1928.

It would probably fetch well over 1 million on the open market and could be converted to an hotel.

Council deputy leader Cllr Daphne Bagshawe last week publically told cabinet members: 'I am bound to say, as I look at the pressures on us, that we should look at disposing of this building.

And she told the Express this week she believed there would be cross-party support for such a move.

She said conditions for staff in the old-fashioned building were not good. The council needed to make the best use of its assets.