Don’t miss the eagerly anticipated BBC2 drama The Hour, which screens on Tuesday 19th July at 9pm, and was filmed in its entirety at the Hornsey Town Hall.

Romola Garai, Dominic West, and Ben Whishaw lead an all-star cast in a thrilling six-part series which takes viewers behind the scenes of the launch of a topical news programme in London 1956. The Town Hall takes on the role of the BBC’s Lime Grove Studios in Shepard’s Bush, and with its wood panelled walls, period lighting and art deco styling, was the perfect location for the detail obsessed producers.

For more information about The Hour visit the BBC website.

Help Hornsey Town Hall Square become a vibrant community hub by telling Haringey Council what kind of activities you would like to see in the location.

A temporary relaxation of licensing rules means the square can now be a trading place and a centre for occasional activities that are independent of the council. For example, would you want to explore the feasibility of a one-off farmers’ or French market, an art fair, wine tasting, an antiques or garden market, holistic and wellbeing services, a book or literary festival, an occasional outdoor ice rink or a vintage market in the area? If so, let the council know.

Cllr Nilgun Canver, Cabinet Member for Environment, said:

“Let’s make this lovely location the jewel in the crown of Crouch End. As well as the more traditional offerings, we are hoping for some innovative ideas which will celebrate the community, bring a vibrancy to the area and reflect the distinct personality of Crouch End.

“This is an opportunity for all to have their say and help shape the tone of the Town Hall Square area. Please get in touch and give us your views.”

The trial period will allow for up to ten events to be held on Town Hall Square up to Christmas.

• be self financing
• help establish the Town Hall Square as the heart of Crouch End
• bring vibrancy and community benefits to the area
• bring business opportunities that complement those of the current traders
• fit around existing commitments regarding the use of Hornsey Town Hall
• be socially responsible, inclusive and within planning and licensing conditions
• bring a sense of pride to Hornsey and Haringey’s diverse communities.

Send in your ideas by email to hth@haringey.gov.uk, write to Hornsey Town Hall Interim Uses Group, Room 1:15, Civic Centre, High Road, Wood Green, N22 8LE or telephone 020 8489 1794.

Many of you will have been aware of the press reports about a Farmers’ Market on the Town Hall Square. The Council responded to press enquiries as follows:

“We know that Hornsey Town Hall Square is important to local residents, and we are keen to support appropriate community use of the area.

The council’s general purposes committee will meet on Thursday (May 19) to consider a temporary relaxation of the street trading policy, which currently prevents any street trading in Hornsey Town Hall Square.

If agreed by the committee, the change could enable a limited number of occasional events such as crafts stalls, community events and farmers markets to be held in the Town Hall square on a trial basis. Any applications for events would be judged on their individual merits.

We would then look to assess the impact of any events before making any decisions about future use of the Town Hall square in consultation with the local community”.

Hornsey Town Hall Creative Trust welcomed Haringey Council’s Cabinet decision on Tuesday 26 April, to move ahead with proposals to restore the landmark Grade II* listed building and invite Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts to make the venue its home.

The partnership will bring the Town Hall back into use, restore heritage features, see a world-class drama school in Crouch End, allow access to public spaces for the first time in many years, and offer a host of community benefits.

HTHCT will continue to work with both Haringey Council and Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts on community access to the Town Hall and is particularly interested in ensuring there is a robust mechanism for maintaining public benefit throughout the 125 year lease.

You can read Haringey Council’s press release here and download a copy of the Cabinet Report here.

The case for supporting this option was made in our statement of 14 April 2011 which you can access here.

Cllr Joe Goldberg, Haringey Council Cabinet Member for Finance and Sustainability; Sandy Orr OBE, Chairman of Mountview; Ann Wilks, Chair of HTHCT; Sue Robertson, Principal of Mountview.

Ann Wilks and Sandy Orr in foreground, Sue Robertson and Cllr Joe Goldberg in background.

Cllr Joe Goldberg, Ann Wilks, Sue Robertson, Sandy Orr.

Following the publication of Haringey Council’s Cabinet documents, including a paper on the future of Hornsey Town Hall and the recommendation of Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts as preferred development partner going forward, the Hornsey Town Hall Creative Trust (HTHCT) issued the following statement today, Thursday 14 April 2011.

HTHCT supports Mountview’s proposal for the future of the Town Hall because it promises:

A commitment to the restoration and maintenance of the Grade II* listed building, employing high quality and environmentally sound design
A sustainable future for the Town Hall
Generous public access to the historic areas of the Town Hall
An extensive programme of community arts and educational activities and public events in the Town Hall, particularly in the Assembly Hall and the Council Chamber
Vibrant uses for and access to spaces which have long been closed to the public, animating the building
A positive contribution to the local economy
Mountview and Haringey Council will be putting in place a robust mechanism for ensuring that public benefit is maintained for the duration of the 125 year lease. HTHCT has a particular interest in ensuring that that is an effective mechanism.

It is also HTHCT’s view that the Mountview proposal aims to:
Unite east and west by running educational programmes in schools and events to bring together children and young people across the borough
Meet HTHCT’s aspirations for quality, by establishing locally an organisation with a national and international reputation for excellence
Create local training opportunities for young people in theatre and related skills
Provide opportunities for local business
Address the most frequently expressed concern on the planning application public consultation -the density of the housing development. This is reduced from 123 to 78 units
Hornsey Town Hall Creative Trust has been working in partnership with Haringey Council since 2007 to find a solution for HornseyTown Hall which meets their stated objectives of restoring this historically important building and establishing in it a financially sustainable solution that has strong community benefits.

All the business models the Trust has considered have had to demonstrate both a viable capital plan (for the restoration of the Grade II* listed building) and a viable revenue plan, capable of operating independently of financial support from Haringey Council.

The Trust believe that leasing HornseyTown Hall to Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts is the option that most fulfils these aims and objectives.

HTHCT considered in great detail a broad range of business models for the Town Hall, including mixed use, leasing the building to a single tenant and working with a developer who would also take responsibility for the Town Hall.

After extensive research both by HTHCT and professional business planners, the Trust concluded that

The mixed use option was not demonstrably financially viable and could not guarantee a sustainable future for the Town Hall
That the developer/operator option may be financially viable but would not necessarily deliver community benefit
That the Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts proposal meets many of our agreed objectives
HTHCT will continue to work in partnership with the Council as the proposals develop.

The Trust will also work with the Council and other community groups, in consultation with Mountview, to continue to develop plans for the Town Square (which is not included in the area being leased to Mountview).

HTHCT recognises the pressure on the Council in the current financial and economic climate. It acknowledges and appreciates the Council’s willingness to seek a future for the Town Hall which delivers community benefits as well as relieving it of the costs of a building surplus to requirements.

To view the Cabinet papers please click here.

The Chair of Hornsey Town Hall Creative Trust welcomed the decision to grant planning consent to Hornsey Town Hall.
The Chair of Hornsey Town Hall Creative Trust, the body that has been working in partnership with Haringey Council to restore the magnificent Grade II* listed building, today welcomed the decision to grant planning consent to Hornsey Town Hall.

Ann Wilks, Chair of Hornsey Town Hall Creative Trust, says,

“We are delighted that the Planning Committee has given the green light to proceed with plans for the restoration of HornseyTown Hall. It is a major milestone and one to which the Trust and the Community Partnership Board, in partnership with Haringey Council, has been working for over four years.

There is still much work to be done, not least the continuing development of the business model which will ensure the Town Hall has a sustainable long-term future and one that delivers our vision to both the local and wider north London community.

The Council has always made it clear that the costs of refurbishing the Town Hall must be met from the disposal of the land around it. The amount of capital that the site generates will thus critically affect the plans for the Town Hall. We are happy that the plans accepted by the Planning Committee last night balances all the many requirements on a development site of this importance.”

The capital receipts from the enabling development will be dedicated to the restoration of the Town Hall and to creating spaces within it that will be used for a range of cultural, community and enterprise activities. It is expected that this will still leave a shortfall on the capital funding of over £3 million. The Hornsey Town Hall Creative Trust has undertaken to fundraise to close this gap.

The intention is that the Trust, an independent charity, will run and manage the Town Hall once the doors are open again to the public.

The plans include:

The refurbishment of the Town Hall building to include cafes and bars, theatre and performance halls, art gallery and exhibition space, and multi-purpose community use space
Improvements to the Town Hall square, with landscaping and provision to use the space for public events
Residential developments in the Town Hall’s East Wing and Link Block, The Broadway Annexe and the Mews – to include four four-bed houses, three four-bed flats, 20 three-bed flats, 61 two-bed flats, and 35 one-bed flats
Hornsey Town Hall Creative Trust:
The Hornsey Town Hall Creative Trust is an advocate for the community’s interests and acts as an advisory body to the Council Cabinet. It is made up of two local councillors and nine local residents and will take on the stewardship and management responsibilities for the new facilities at HornseyTown Hall.
John McAslan + Partners:
Award-winning architects, John McAslan + Partners, were appointed to the project in September 2008 following a competitive tender. Their sensitive and creative restoration of The Roundhouse in Camden and the De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill-on-Sea heralded successful renewal and regeneration for those two iconic buildings
www.mcaslan.co.uk
For more information, please contact
Liz Sich from HTHCT on 07956 612380
www.hornsey-town-hall.org.uk

HTHCT
July 2010

Click on this link www.eyerevolution.co.uk/tours/hornsey-townhall/ to experience the stunning panorama of the Hornsey Town Hall, from the Assembly Hall, Council Chamber, Board rooms and Mayor’s Parlour. All images provided by Will Pearson Photography www.willpearson.co.uk

The Hornsey Town Hall refurbishment offers unique spaces for creative organisations for 2013.

Click here for details.

Will be Hornsey_final_version.pdf

Haringey Council’s Planning Department will be pleased to consider comments on the Town Hall proposals up until the date of the Planning Committee that determines the application. This is expected to be mid / late June 2010.
For further information, follow this link http://www.planningservices.haringey.gov.uk/portal/servlets/ApplicationSearchServlet?PKID=211626

Haringey Council held a development control forum on Thursday 25 March, at the Town Hall, to discuss the planning application.
Follow this link for the presentation by architects, John McAslan + Partners.

(will be DEVELOPMENT_CONTROL_FORUM_for web.pdf)