‘Losing Clair Hall would be appalling’ says The Mid Sussex Association of the National Trust

Losing Clair Hall as a community facility has been described as ‘appalling’ by The Mid Sussex Association of the National Trust.
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Last month Mid Sussex District Council agreed to remove Clair Hall in Perrymount Road from its leisure contract with Places Leisure.

At the time senior councillors noted the venue had been losing money for some time and was currently unviable to operate due to current social distancing restrictions.

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Officers are now proposing permanent closure and a decision is set to be made by cabinet members on Monday, September 14.

The Mid Sussex Association of the National Trust members David Dalrymple and Anne Jones outside Clair Hall. Picture: Simon JonesThe Mid Sussex Association of the National Trust members David Dalrymple and Anne Jones outside Clair Hall. Picture: Simon Jones
The Mid Sussex Association of the National Trust members David Dalrymple and Anne Jones outside Clair Hall. Picture: Simon Jones
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Dr David Dalrymple, chairman of the The Mid Sussex Association of the National Trust, said: “We are very worried about it going because we have got an organisation and we have around 200 members.

“We have monthly meetings at Clair Hall throughout the year. The meetings are by far the most important events and to lose them and Clair Hall would be appalling.

“Clair Hall is absolutely ideal for us because it is in the middle of Haywards Heath. It is easy to get to, there is a room for all of our members.

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“A lot of our members are quite old but very alert and very keen. It would just be so awful for us. I don’t know what an earth we would do.”

Dr Dalrymple pointed out that the hall was especially important for the group as it ‘raises a lot of money’.

Over the past ten years, it has raised £123,833 for National Trust properties such as Bateman’s, Nymans, Sheffield Park and the South Downs, he added.

Councillor John Belsey, MSDC cabinet member for environment and service delivery, said: “The coronavirus pandemic has hit the finances of local authorities up and down the country incredibly hard and here at Mid Sussex District Council we are no different.

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“This is why, at a recent full council meeting, the decision was taken to remove Clair Hall from our leisure contract to allow us to heavily subsidise and reopen our three leisure centres.

“Venues like Clair Hall cannot currently operate viably due to social distancing rules and Government guidelines remain that meetings should be held virtually rather than in person.”

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