Future of the Old Chapel remains uncertain

The Ross-on-Wye Town Council took over the running of the building in Cantilupe Road in an asset transfer from Herefordshire Council earlier this year.

At last week's town council meeting Rebecca Tamplin, project officer, outlined options for the building.

She said as an empty building it costs £6,207 to run per year, including electricity, gas, rates and water.

She estimated that if it was occupied it would cost around £15,175.

The Corn Exchange, where the town council currently resides, costs £17,000 to run but has income from the retail premises of £9,680, which means it costs £7,320 per year to run.

The main issues of building repairs at the chapel are the roof structure and damp.

Correspondence from a land agent said there are substantial repairs needed and the council could expect to fetch £10,000 a year if it was rented out.

There are clauses in the transfer documents which say the premises should only be rented to an organisation which would help the community- if it was rented to a business the council would be penalised.

Ms Tamplin estimated they could make £2,000 a year from holding civil ceremonies at the Old Chapel, but said after speaking to Ledbury Town Council, she discovered this could be less.

Ledbury Town Council hires out the Jacobean Room in the town council offices and had just two weddings there last year and there have been two so far this year.

When Herefordshire Council ran the service there were around 40 per year, but they only charged the registration fee and did not charge for room hire.

She said there was the option to rent out rooms for meetings, but she said at the Corn Exchange since they began to charge for room hire the bookings have dried up.

She said the value of the building has been estimated at £100,000- 50 percent of this would have to go to Herefordshire Council.

Estimated it would be £9,000 to rent ouf Corn Exchange.

Deferred the decision to carry our repairs.