Wednesday is D-Day! The fate of Druitt Hall, Christchurch town centre's only Community Hall, hangs in the balance. Donated to the people of Christchurch, used by countless groups and organisations over six decades, its demolition by the Council is opposed by residents with a petition of over 1,400 signatures.

Plans for a replacement hall are currently stalled without funding to build. Nevertheless the Council may push ahead with Druitt Hall's demolition simply to widen the entrance to the Gardens!

For a fraction of the cost of demolition we could continue to have a usable hall pending a viable replacement. It is accessible by numerous bus routes and able to accommodate a variety of user groups, from the Monday Market and Age Concern, to the Council's own "Your Borough, Your Say" meetings. Its survey shows it needs only modest refurbishment to make it clean, warm, and attractive. Volunteers have offered skills, materials and ideas for an environmentally friendly makeover. Why then , you might ask, have the kitchen sink, gas piping, and gas meter been recently removed in advance of any formal council decision? Without a doubt the public will be keen to attend the crucial Resources Committee Meeting Weds 1 February 6pm at the Civic Centre to hear what our representatives have to say!