We always welcome a Letter to the Editor to share with readers. If you have something you’d like to share, get in touch. This open letter to the owners of the former Frank James Hospital comes from East Cowes resident, Tanja Rebel. Ed
Since March 2011, the Friends of Frank James have put in a lot of effort to save this iconic building and its gardens from total ruin.
One and a half years have now passed and we wonder why the Frank James Memorial Hospital still has not been secured, despite repeated assurances that you were finally going to deal with this.
Waited patiently
We have waited patiently for all this time, wanting to believe your claims to be doing all you can to get things started.
However, until now there has been precious little proof that this is the case:
Windows are still open, fences are still unsecured and the building itself is still falling apart. If it were not for the efforts of the Friends of Frank James, doors and other entrances would still have been unlocked and the grounds themselves would have remained a jungle.
How much do you care?
However – despite hard work from many volunteers – plants are still climbing the building, destroying the fabric of the brickwork.
Every minute that this is allowed to continue will add to the cost of refurbishment and you know it.
The question is, how much do you care?
The Friends of Frank James do care
We have done the work on the grounds out of love for the building and its surroundings and because it is a crime to let an iconic building like this deteriorate any further.
However, we can only do so much and it is now time for the owners of Frank James to take their responsibility. Does the Council really need to issue an Urgent Works Notice or will you now finally take action?
Sell the building to someone who will take care of it
Whilst we appreciate that you have had difficulties in the past when securing Planning Permission as well as gaining vehicle access to the building, you have now had Planning Permission for a long time.
If you are not intending to make something of this, why don’t you sell the building to someone who will take care of it? Or will the Isle of Wight Council have to do a Compulsory Purchase? You see, in contrast to its predecessor, this Council does care about our Island’s Heritage and it will not see it destroyed because of continued negligence.
Time for action
The time for action has now come. In truth, it came long ago and we have given you the benefit of the doubt for well over a year now. Our patience is now fast running out: If you cannot take care of something so precious then kindly let somebody else with a conscience and a heart take over and make the building flourish again.
Yours sincerely,
Tanja Rebel, one of the many Friends of Frank James
Image: © Josh Aitken
