Alcester's Greig Hall a step closer to re-opening - The Stratford Observer

Alcester's Greig Hall a step closer to re-opening

Stratford Editorial 8th Oct, 2020   0

ALCESTER’S Greig Hall is one step closer to its long-awaited re-opening.

It has been agreed with Stratford District Council (SDC) for the town council to take a lease of the memorial hall.

The Hannah Susan Greig Memorial Hall was finally handed over to the district council, along with the Greig Leisure Centre, following a long-running dispute with the Greig Trust. The legal battle over who would run the centre, which closed after proving ‘financially unviable’, concluded last year.

It has been a long-term ambition of the town council to reopen it as a community hall and arts venue, since its closure nearly a decade ago.




Alcester mayor Gill Forman said: “I am delighted that we have reached agreement with the district council to take a lease of the memorial hall. In its heyday, the hall was the venue for dances, performances and wedding receptions and it holds a very special place in the heart of the residents of Alcester.

“It is a real shame that the building has been closed and boarded up for so long but now is the time for its reinvention as an iconic venue. It will attract shows and exhibitions from far and wide and also be available for residents and groups to use for local functions.


“The building is in a very sorry state and we have a great deal of work to do. I am confident, however, that with the support of our community, we can restore the Greig Hall to its proper place at the centre of community life in Alcester.”

SDC leader Tony Jefferson said: “This is great news for the residents of Alcester that we have been able to reach an agreement in principle for Alcester Town Council to take a lease of the Hannah Susan Greig Memorial Hall in Alcester.

“The district council’s cabinet will now consider the agreement at its meeting in December as we need to follow due process. But this is another important milestone that’s been reached.”

The centre was a gift made to residents by businessman and philanthropist David Grieg in memory of his late wife Hannah Susan Greig.

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