Future of Sheffield community building 'secure' after council grants new lease

The future of a valued community building looks to be secure after Sheffield Council granted a new lease to the charity that runs it.
A vision for the future of Inman Pavilion. Photo: University of SheffieldA vision for the future of Inman Pavilion. Photo: University of Sheffield
A vision for the future of Inman Pavilion. Photo: University of Sheffield

The authority agreed to rent the Inman Pavilion, overlooking Oxley Park in Stocksbridge, to the Garden Village Community Association for a nominal fee.

The building has hosted groups and clubs since the 1950s but is in need of significant repair work and modernisation.

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The longer lease will allow the community to bid for external funding for a range of improvements, including a re-wire, re-cladding, preservation of the parquet floor, and energy efficiency works.

Garden Village Community Association chairman Beryl Sharp said: “We are delighted that the lease has been extended as this gives us much more scope to bid for much-needed funding to retrofit the building, so the hard work starts here!

“It’s a bit like stepping into the Tardis - it looks small on the outside but it’s so spacious inside.

"The five trustees of the association have worked so hard with the council to get us to this point. We have an ambition to make the building more sustainable and secure its place in the community for years to come.”

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The pavilion was build by the association on land owned by the Oxley Park Trust and has successfully operated and repaired it since then.

The renewal of the lease helps to guarantee the future of activities such as the out-of-school science club, line dancing classes and children’s choir which currently run from the pavilion.

Ward councillor Richard Crowther said: “The pavilion and all the groups that use it are important to our community and we will continue working hard to help keep it going long into the future.

"If you live in Stocksbridge but don’t currently use the pavilion, I’d encourage you to pop up and see what’s going on.”

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Cabinet member for finance Ben Curran added: “The council will always do what it can to help strengthen our communities and having social groups like this is a big thing. I’m very pleased to support the efforts to sustain and boost this much loved pavilion.

“The community association has worked incredibly hard to manage it for the benefit of local people in Stocksbridge and I want to congratulate them on their efforts.”

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