Ealing campaign group taking Charity Commission to court over Victoria Hall sale
CAMPAIGNERS are planning to take the Government's Charity Commission to court over its support for Ealing Council's attempt to sell off Ealing Town Hall and turn it into a luxury hotel.
Friends of the Victoria Hall (FoVH) are launching a £35,000 appeal to supporters to pay the legal costs of the challenge.
In 2016, Ealing Council agreed to sell off the Town Hall, which included the Victoria Hall.
FoVH however argue that Victoria Hall, which accounts for 20% of the Town Hall property, actually belongs to the charitable Victoria Hall Trust and not the Council.
The Trust was set up in 1893 to run the venue for the benefit of the local community.
As a result, FoVH is launching an appeal at the Charity Tribunal to prevent the Charity Commission from allowing the Council to change the rules of the Trust so that it can take over the Hall.
Roger Green, Chair of FoVH, said: "The Commission just hasn't listened to the people of Ealing.
"It's ignored hundreds of complaints from local people and over 4,000 signatures on two petitions.
"We're now into the sixth year of this sorry saga.
"If the Council had done its homework at the start it would have discovered it didn't own the Victoria Hall and might have come up with a better idea for the Town Hall site than another hotel.
"It's already spent most of the £2.5million it was being offered for the 250-year lease.
"We can't afford not to fight the theft of this public amenity.
"It's a blatant injustice.
"For more than a century this space has hosted celebrations, exhibitions and performances of every kind.
"All of this is now under threat from Ealing Council and the Charity Commission's craven acceptance of its cynical attempts to get its hands on the Victoria Hall."
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