The idea of replacing Spalding’s St Nicolas Hall with a modern facility has taken another step forward.
The church hall for St Mary and St Nicolas – commonly known by its road name The Vista – is losing money and is considered not fit for purpose.
The Parochial Church Council is looking into the costs of a new-build and arranged a fact-finding visit to Heydour, a village near Grantham.
Its new £750,000 parish hall is a little smaller than what is envisaged as being necessary for St Mary and St Nicolas, but Rev John Bennett said the trip provided some useful pointers to the four church members.
He said: “They gained some really helpful information about how [Heydour] went about fundraising.
“The aim is to try and get a report ready for the committee by the end of June and that should enable us to make a decision in the autumn.”
St Nicolas Hall costs £11,000 per year to run. Once a popular venue for functions, bookings suffered when smaller and more modern facilities offered competition.
The hall also a history of attracting anti-social behaviour, most recently in February when windows were smashed again.
Last September, the PCC voted unanimously to look into replacing it. Rev Bennett is also keen on a collaboration with Spalding Gentlemen’s Society, currently in Broad Street premises now deemed unsuitable.
He has a vision for The Vista, but accepts finance could be the stumbling block.
“My dream for that whole area is redevelopment, but I don’t know where the money would come from,” he said.
“Having an open space which would go right down to the river would be fabulous.
“I still hanker after the Gentlemen’s Society having something purpose-built, but again where would the money come from?”
South Holland district councillor Christine Lawton said recently that the council might look at buying land such as the nearby Bull and Monkie site for redevelopment.
