The Friends of the Victoria Hall (FoVH) are now challenging the Charity Commission to make further changes to its third draft ruling on the future of the Victoria Hall.
Last month (23 September 2024), the regulator published its latest draft of a proposed rule-change to the Victoria Hall Trust Charity. According to the ruling, it would allow Ealing Council to sell off the Trust’s Victoria Hall to hotel developer Mastcraft along with the rest of Ealing Town Hall.
Roger Green, chair of the Friends of the Victoria Hall (FoVH) said: “While we have welcomed some improvements to the wording of the scheme, we’re continuing to challenge the Commission’s consent to the deal by drawing attention to certain significant aspects which need to be addressed – not least the proper definition of the charity’s property and the future community use of the space.
“It would be unfortunate if the bulldozers rolled in before Christmas just because of the poor wording of the Scheme.”
In July 2016 the council entered into an agreement with hotel developer Mastcraft to sell the Town Hall on a 250-year lease and turn it into a luxury hotel. But more than 20% of Ealing Town Hall consists of the Victoria Hall, built by public donations, and since 1893 the property is owned by a charitable trust set up for the benefit of the local Ealing community that had paid for it.
The first version of the Charity Commission Scheme appeared in November 2019 and received opposition from locals.
Mr Green added: “We are pleased that in the latest draft the Commission is now calling for the establishment of an independent committee to take over Trust decision-making from Ealing Council.
“The appointment of this committee is crucial to determining the future of the Hall. With a majority of independent members, the new Victoria Trust Committee would have the power to change the details of what the Council agreed with Mastcraft in July 2016.”
He added: “We are concerned, though, that no deadlines or time limits are present in the Scheme for the formation of the Committee to which Ealing Council has been instructed to delegate decision-making.
“And we note with concern that no effort has been made by Ealing Council to form this Committee. Indeed, the Victoria Hall Trust Committee has not met since April 2024 and is not scheduled to do so again until the end of February next year.”
 are now challenging the Charity Commission to make further changes to its third draft ruling on the future of the Victoria Hall.){kind=link}