Residents fight for future of Thetford community centre

31 July 2009

Supporters fighting to save a housing estate community centre from closure in Thetford claim a lack of investment by Breckland Council could see the western part of the town become a “ghost town”.

The Redcastle Furze estate community centre in Thetford is owned by Breckland Council and the current leaseholders, Peddars Way Housing Association, are ending their contract at the end of this month and the building will finally close on Friday .

The building, which has been leased to Peddars Way Housing Association and has been operated as a community centre on the Redcastle Furze estate. But the Association say the building is under-used and is no longer financially viable. The Association warned a year ago that the facility might be closed.

One of its supporters, Terry Jermy, a town councillor for the area, is very concerned about the situation which he believes will leave the west area of the town without a community focus for activities.

“There has been a chronic lack of investment in community facilities in this western area of Thetford by all parties, including Breckland Council, Peddars Way and the town council,” he said.

“This is very concerning and we feel this area of Thetford is being over looked. The funding required to keep it open we understand would be around £4,000 per anum which we think is good value,” said another supporter Stuart Wright.

Mr Jermy said that the closure was happening at a time when moves are being made to encourage growth in Thetford.

“We are looking to see Thetford grow but we can't even sustain a community centre that costs £4,000 a year to run,” he said.

Mr Jermy said the west of Thetford will be an area where there will now be no natural centre for the focus of community-based groups and activities.

“Without this focus and co-ordination of activities I fear it will become a ghost town,” he said.

The site is currently being marketed to find a new tenant and there has been some interest from a number of organisations. Breckland Council officials are currently sifting through the interest from potential new occupiers. The authority has stressed that it would much prefer the new owner or leaseholders to run it as a community centre.

An authority spokesman said that no decision has yet been made but the building , in its present situation, will close on July 31.

In the meantime the authority, as owners, are currently in discussions with a number of interested parties and the aim is to find a new tenant or buyer that will continue with the current use of the building and provide a sustainable community resource for the residents of Redcastle Furze and the wider Thetford area.

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