Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge Town Council is to take over full ownership of the Princess Theatre from April, it has been announced this week.
Councillor Peter Burridge-Clayton (pictured) revealed to fellow town councillors at Monday’s council meeting that, after further talks and negotiations, Sedgemoor District Council has agreed to sell The Princess to the Town Council for the nominal sum of £1, as opposed to the original offer made last month of a lease of 125 years.
Delegated authority has been given to the Princess Committee to ensure a smooth hand-over on the 1st April this year.
Cllr Burridge-Clayton told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “This will help secure the Princess as a major community asset for residents. A Business Options Plan has been formed and it is expected that the plan will be flexible enough to provide the needs of the current hall users and also broaden the services on offer.”
The Town Council thanked Sedgemoor District Council for its help and co-operation in the partnership Working, and the Princess Committee, and Cllr Burridge-Clayton for all their hard work in progressing this project.
Sedgemoor is to give a ‘transitional subsidy’ of £90,000 to the Town Council to enable it to make improvements to the closure-threatened building, thereby helping it to increase its use and income. Burnham-On-Sea.com reported last month that the town council had earmarked £70,000 of funds towards taking on The Princess.
Burnham-On-Sea.com reported here that Burnham-On-Sea’s DanceFit Club and The Bay Club Dancers will join forces to perform the first show at the town council-owned Princess Theatre on Saturday 2nd April.
