Follow up letter to Haysport Properties Ltd/Delapage Ltd re the Axiom

It is now two weeks since I sent a letter to the two company directors of Haysport Properties Ltd at their registered address of Tower Bridge House, St Katherine's Way, London. They are the company who bought the Axiom in Winchcombe St several years ago. 

Previously they were registered to an address at 233-237 Old Marylebone Road, London but according to an email I received from another company (Wilder Coe) based at that address there is no longer any representation of Haysport based there. 

However I did telephone a number for Haysport at the Old Marylebone Road address which I seem to recall went to Morgan Sinclair Propertly Holdings and that is based at that address! A lady on the other end of the phone confirmed they did manage the property but that I should write to an address in Hendon (113 Brent St). This interestingly was an address that the charity Delapage Ltd (the charity behind Haysport) had previously been registered to.

Confused? So am I but I am not giving up yet so below is a letter I am sending off the the Hendon address and this time it will go to the two directors of Haysport and also Mr Joseph Ackerman himself - the man behind the Delapage charity.

Cllr Klara Sudbury,

20, Brizen Lane,

Cheltenham

Glos

GL53 0NG

2^nd June 2012

klara.sudbury@gloucestershire.gov.uk

Delapage / Haysport Properties Ltd,

C/O 113 Brent Street,

Hendon,

London

NW4 2DX

Former Axiom Building, 57-59 Winchcombe St, Cheltenham

Dear Sir,

I have written to the two named company directors of Haysport Properties Ltd at the company’s registered address of Tower Bridge House, St Katherine’s Way but have had no reply.

Hence I am now writing to this address as I believe that it is linked with Haysport Properties Ltd and the associated charity Delapage Ltd who own the former Axiom building, 57-59 Winchcombe Street, Cheltenham.

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.

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.

Or alternatively if they wish to sell the building then please could you let me know so that suitably interested local people can try to raise the funds to buy back our building.

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.