Over 25 people attended a public meeting in Burnham-On-Sea on Wednesday evening (December 4th) to hear about plans to safeguard the former adult learning centre opposite the town’s Princess Theatre for community use.
Liz Bennett and Caroline King, who run Burnham-On-Sea community cafe The Waffle Hub, are hoping to purchase the derelict building from Somerset Council to expand the hub’s community services, as we reported here.
Caroline said she was “delighted” with the support shown for the project at this week’s meeting.
She explained the proposals would be funded by several large grants over 2-3 years, adding that she has been successful in six application bids for the Waffle Hub to date.
“I think we can save the building this way – if the project to restore Birnbeck Pier in Weston can get £4.5 million of grants then we have every chance of saving the building.”
“I’m here to keep this building, which was built as a community asset, as a community facility.”
“Somerset Council say that we can’t rent it, but they are planning to sell the building, although the timelines from the council are unclear. The Waffle Hub is really keen to expand its community services and continue to welcome everyone.”
Cllr Lesley Millard, who was in the audience at the meeting, said: “I feel passionately that this is a good way forward for the building, saving it for the community, but I would say we just need to be sure on who it will be targeted at, who the users will be from the start.”
She added that a letter of support has been agreed to be given to the Waffle Hub by the Town Council to support the project.
Cllr Barbara Vickers cautioned that the town council’s own survey of the building had found it “needs an awful lot of work” to make it fully usable again, but she added her support to the Waffle Hub’s plans.
Caroline thanked the council for its support and added that she’s inviting residents to write their own letters of support for the project to support the Hub’s formal expression of interest in the building. “We are building up a file of evidence to show a need and the support,” she said.
She also added that she is interested to hear from other community groups who are keen to support the project and ultimately use the building if the bid to save it is successful.
A planned meeting on December 14th won’t be held, but further public meetings will be held in 2025 for residents to get involved.
