Letter to the company directors of Haysport Properties Ltd re Axiom building

Company Director,

Haysport Properties Ltd,

C/O Tower Bridge House,

St Katharine’s Way,

London,

E1D 1DD

Former Axiom Building, 57-59 Winchcombe St, Cheltenham

Dear Mr  Searby,

I am writing to you as I believe that you are a Company Director for Haysport Properties Ltd, who own the former Axiom building, 57-59 Winchcombe Street, Cheltenham. From looking on the internet I am aware of some difficulties with the family originally involved with the company and I am not clear as to whether or not Haysport Properties are still an operating company but hope you and Mr Robin Johnson will be the right people to help me.

Before the Axiom building was sold by Cheltenham Borough Council it was for some years Cheltenham’s Community Art Centre. It has now been derelict for 12 years having been shut abruptly in March 2000. Many people in Cheltenham feel very unhappy that this much loved community asset has been left empty for such a long period.

It is included in the List of Locally Important Buildings compiled by the council and is also in Cheltenham’s Central Conservation Area. With changes to planning brought by the NPPF there is more weight for the Council to protect such buildings from demolition. The building itself is unique in Cheltenham, there is nothing like it and it has a long history – at this link you can read an article I wrote about the building in 2002 http://www.gsia.org.uk/reprints/2002/gi200255.pdf

I am a County Councillor for All Saints Division and the Axiom building is within my County Division. I am also a Borough Councillor for neighbouring College Ward. I am writing as a locally elected representative to ask that the owners to consider leasing the building to a community or voluntary group at a peppercorn rent on a full repairing lease. Or alternatively if they wish to sell the building then please can local people be made aware of this so we can try to raise the funds locally to buy back our building.

It would be fantastic for the building to be brought back to life for the good of the people of Cheltenham, if only for a few more years until the owners wish to renovate or sell the building. I would be pleased to hear back from you whatever the view the company has so that suitable groups could be approached to consider taking on a lease.

You will no doubt agree that this much loved and locally important building should be made the best use of for the benefit of the local community until the owners decide what they want to do with it.

This section of Winchcombe Street has also lost the Odeon Cinema which is currently empty and being advertised for lease. The area needs a boost to bring back the vibrancy that it used to have before these two key buildings closed.

I await your reply and thank you for the time in reading my letter and request.

Yours sincerely,

Klara Sudbury,

County Councillor for All Saints Division,

Borough Councillor for College Ward.