Ventnor Winter Gardens: Will Continued Community Use be Lost?

Back in April, The Hambrough Group and its public-face, Robert Thompson, were chosen by the Isle of Wight Council as the preferred bidder to take over the Ventnor Winter Gardens.

Manser architect's view of A final decision on the future of the building was due to be made at the end of May, but even another two months after that, negotiations have been drawn out, with – the council tell us – a final decision now not due until mid-August.

Restriction in community use?
Since the closure of the iconic venue, Islanders have voiced concerns about the potential loss of community use, which has taken place at the venue for over 70 years.

Rumours have been circulating around the Island that a clause in the contract, specifying community use will only be provided for a limited number of years, has been inserted by the preferred bidder.

Call for clarification
The general understanding of residents was that community use of the Winter Gardens would be available in perpetuity (ie. forever), especially after listening to council officer John Metcalfe at a public meeting at the Winter Gardens back in January.

Given the disconnect between this and the rumours, VB wrote the following to the council asking for clarification.

The council may be aware, there’s a continued concern from many people in Ventnor and across the Island that Ventnor’s Winter Gardens should continue its strong and proud history of community use.
What reassurances can councillors and officers of the Isle of Wight council give that this will be assured?

What guarantees or clauses are being considered to ensure the preferred bidder maintains these?

Council response doesn’t clarify
Rather than directly answering the questions, the carefully-worded response from the council, received this morning, doesn’t quell the public’s fears, enhancing thoughts that the continued community use of the venue may be compromised.

An IW Council spokesperson said “We are aware that there is a demand for the Winter Gardens to remain available for community use. This has to be balanced against the need for investment in the building so that it can be available for such use.
“Agreeing this balance and translating it into a final agreement has been a key part of the negotiation process the council has been engaged in”

Just what that ‘balance’ is, should become clear in the next week or so, once a final decision made under delegated powers (eg. in private) by the relevant Cabinet member, has been announced. To date, this has been Cllr Brown, Deputy Leader.

We’ll keep you updated once we hear more.

Background
For background on the closure of Winter Gardens and the decision by the Isle of Wight council to dispose of it, see the archive below.