Old Grimethorpe miners’ welfare site to be sold after falling out of use

Different era: The old Brierley Town Council depot | Other 3rd Party

Land given over for the benefit of miners in the 1930s in Grimethorpe is now to be sold by Barnsley Council a quarter of a century after the village’s colliery closed.

Barnsley Council is trustee of the Grimethorpe Miners Welfare Schemes and plans to auction a site which houses the old Brierley Town Council depot and other buildings, which have fallen out of use.

If the sale goes ahead, money raised will have to go back into projects with a similar aim to the original miners’ welfare scheme, though no decisions have yet been made about the form that might take.

The site is off Clear View in the village includes Park House and the Welfare Hall, which has lease that runs until March 2022.

There is an opportunity for objections to be lodged, which would be considered before a sale proceeded, with a deadline of August 30.

Coun Robert Frost, Barnley Council’s Cabinet support member for Regeneration and Culture, said: “Barnsley Council are Trustee of the Grimethorpe Miner’s Welfare Scheme which includes the land known as Grimethorpe Welfare Park.

"The northernmost section of the park no longer benefits the site, making it surplus to ourselves and the public.

"We are in receipt of all necessary approvals to sell the small section of land. A decision on how this will be spent has yet to be taken; however, charities legislation specifies that the funds are reinvested into projects that have similar aims as the original trust deed.”

Brierley Town Council was disbanded several years ago following a referendum in the area.