Removing Shaftesbury Town Hall

Objective: To remove Shaftesbury Town Hall, restoring the link between Gold Hill and the town centre.

Campaign Status:  Concept, Assess-Support
 

support | oppose | question

Background:

This campaign is inspired by Keith Walton's essay
'The Byzant, the Town Hall, the Pocket Borough, and the Grosvenors: Some thoughts on Shaftesbury past, present and future'

"I am standing on the corner, where the Commons turns into the High Street, outside Hambledon estate agents. I am looking south, into the sun, across the High Street. The High Street here is narrow, the width of one vehicle, with a long hump in green brick, traffic calming, creating a safe pedestrian crossing. In front of me is a piazza ; pentagonal, angled but approaching the circular, a fountain, its waters glistening in the sunlight as they leap high, golden, a dazzling vista, an airy space between church and shops, over the vale to the far hills, light and air rushing in from green hills. The High Street here has been dug out so the church is now, once more, at ground level. The gently sloping open space created down to the buildings on Gold Hill is full of market stalls surrounded by shops and cafés."

Further Reading:

Town Council Meetings
Getting married at Shaftesbury Town Hall
Civil Partnership Ceremonies for gay couples at Shaftesbury Town Hall


Q&A:
 

Q: What about town council meetings, farmers markets, weddings and gay partnership ceremonies?

A: Alternative locations for these activities can be investigated once the campaign moves past the Assess-Support phase. If you have information on the extent of use of the Town Hall for these activities, then please share it here.

Q: Is this campaign motivated by a disaffection with local politics in general and/or Shaftesbury Town Council in particular?

A: No. It is motivated by a belief in the positive impact and energy that would result from reintroducing the original awe-inspiring vista to Shaftesbury town centre.



 

northdorset.net will provide non-judgemental campaign-space for individuals or groups who want to assess or elicit support for specific objectives.

 

northdorset.net aims to encourage residents and visitors to North Dorset to do more locally - find good food and drink locally, source services locally, support local enterprises, make like-minded contacts locally, be entertained locally.