Charity’s hope after facing eviction threat

Twm Owen, local democracy reporter

A charity threatened with eviction is unlikely to be forced from the mansion house it uses as a community centre, a top councillor has said.

The Bridges Centre is locked in dispute with its local authority over a new lease for the grade II-listed 17th century mansion it restored for use as a community centre and commercial events and wedding venue.

The Bridges charity, which operates Drybridge House in Monmouth as the Bridges Centre, has been given a deadline of September 29 to accept the new lease offered by Monmouthshire County Council which owns the historic property.

It’s co-chair of trustees Mark Walton said: “These discussions have been ongoing for some time but have reached an impasse with Monmouthshire council threatening to serve notice that it will begin legal proceedings which could result in eviction from the property if an agreement is not reached by September 29. We feel this is putting undue pressure on Bridges to accept unreasonable terms.”

The council’s Conservative opposition leader, Cllr Richard John who represents the nearby Mitchell Troy and Trellech ward, said: “It is shocking that a charity that does incredible work for the people of Monmouth and surrounding communities has been threatened with eviction unless they agree to the council’s draconian terms.”

Deadline

Ben Callard, the Labour council cabinet member responsible for buildings and finance, confirmed the authority has set a September 29 deadline but said: “I guess we’ve got to a point where we’ve put a deadline as this has been going on for 10 months, we’ve got to get an agreement.

“The council doesn’t want to evict the Bridges and I honestly can’t see it coming to that. The terms we have offered them are very similar to 31 other community organisations in Monmouthshire.”

Mr Walton said “informal” talks took place following a public meeting organised by the charity at the Bridges Centre, on Wednesday, August 27 and said more than 100 people had attended and demonstrated the “passionate support” for the work it does.

Costs

Cllr Callard said he offered to meet with the trustees, when he and other senior cabinet members attended the public meeting, and said he told the meeting: “I said we’ve made agreements in the past and the charity has changed its mind on it.”

Drybridge House was restored by the Bridges charity at a cost of £1.4 million and it has met annual maintenance costs of £50,000 while paying the county council £1 a year peppercorn rent, agreed in 2000.

The lease was due for renewal and has been valued at £97,000 a year with the council having offered a rent rebate of 90 per cent in the first year, 85 per cent in the second and third years with a rebate review every three years.

The charity’s trustees fear that beyond the third year, this could leave them liable for the full £97,000, which would be unaffordable.