We recognise the huge amount of time, energy and commitment that the Friends of Water Lane Hall have put into trying to secure a future for the building. There is strong support for their ambition, and for the principle of bringing the building into community ownership. However, we also have an important responsibility to ensure that any transfer gives the building the best possible chance of a safe and sustainable future.
As set out in our previous update, there were several conditions that needed to be met before the council could consider transferring the building. Significant progress has been made against these conditions and we are working collaboratively to transition the project to its next delivery phase. This includes coordinating the statutory paperwork required to legally transfer the asset, which is a key dependency for the CIC to access major national capital funding.
Before any transfer can happen, we need to be confident that the hall can be made safe to open, that the necessary work can be funded, and that there is a realistic plan for running it in the long term. To support this, the council remains committed to the provision of £170,000 towards necessary works.
The immediate priority is to agree what work is needed to make the building safe for public use, particularly in relation to the condition of the building. We also need a clear route to securing the funding needed to carry out that work.
There is more to do, including strengthening the plan for how the hall would operate day to day and how it would serve the wider community.
The council will continue to work with the Water Lane Community Arts Studio CIC team on these issues. We hope that, with the right assurances in place, it will be possible to find a sustainable future for Water Lane Hall that benefits the town and its community.
Spokesperson for Friends of Water Lane Hall, Jim Tatchell, said: “We are delighted to be working so closely and constructively with East Hertfordshire District Council on this transition. Formally establishing our status as the Water Lane Community Arts Studio CIC is a massive step forward, allowing us to bring professional oversight to restoring a venue like this with amazing potential.
“Coordinating the statutory transfer paperwork is the vital next step to establish the contractual site control we need to access major national capital grants. These grants will build upon the council's own committed £170,000 maintenance grant and we are also seeking to secure additional Section 106 developer contributions.
“We have already been fundraising locally and to bridge the remaining funding gap, we are going to need the full, passionate backing of our Bishop's Stortford community. We will soon be launching more local fundraising campaigns and regular-giving schemes, and we look forward to working hand-in-hand with residents, local businesses, and council officers to bring this historic hall back to life as a self-sustaining cultural hub."