A new chapter begins for Burnby Hall
A new chapter begins for Burnby Hall following Pocklington Town Council signing a 125-year lease on the property with East Riding of Yorkshire Council.
Almost two years on from an initial public meeting to discuss the potential for community use of Burnby Hall, the Town Council, on 6th August signed the lease on Burnby Hall enabling the the community asset transfer to proceed.
The Town Council will shortly issue a lease to Pocklington Community Trust, the charity established to run the Burnby Hall and the adjoining Community Hall on behalf of the people of Pocklington.
Since October 2024, the Community Trust have been operating the Community Hall under licence from East Riding Council on behalf of the Town Council. During that period usage of the Community Hall has increased by over 300%.
Over the last twelve months Pocklington Community Trust have mobilised community support and demonstrated we are able to deliver transformational changes alongside efficient, cost-effective stewardship of the Community Hall, using only limited financial resources. The Trust is now ready to move to the next phase of an ambitious multi-year plan to repurpose Burnby Hall as a Community Centre and Museum.
Burnby Hall retains many period features but is in a poor state of repair and will require substantial work to create an inviting, safe and accessible place to meet, work or visit. The refurbishment of the building, including work to comply with regulatory standards to enable multiple occupancy of the property, will be undertaken in stages, as funding becomes available. Indicative costs for the overall completed renovation project are circa £0.75 million. The Trust will be working in partnership with the Town Council to deliver the project.
The aim of the Burnby Hall project is to establish a Community Centre, providing meeting space and office accommodation to serve a wide variety of charities, community groups and social enterprises, who would otherwise struggle to find a place to undertake their activities at an affordable hire cost within the town. The Hall will also offer leased space to provide a permanent home to a number of local charities, including a Food Bank.
A key objective of the project is to provide more safe space in the community for health and wellbeing support, where charities and other voluntary bodies use Burnby Hall to deliver vital services and support that is often missing in our community. With a rapidly growing population and the recent closure of a number of other venues within the town, the need for this facility is greater than ever.
The Hall will also host an Archaeological Museum that will showcase local finds of national and international significance. The museum would also become an important educational and research resource for the Yorkshire region.
New conference/lecture/exhibition rooms will also be created. A range of offices, meeting rooms, classrooms, a suite of counselling/consulting rooms with waiting area and a kitchen will also be available to hire.
The Community Trust is run entirely by community volunteers. We are a small team of trustees and volunteers who have worked tirelessly to ensure that Burnby Hall will be saved for the benefit of the local community. However, in order to realise the vision and make the Community Centre the best it can possibly be, we need the support of local residents and businesses. With a little help, this high-profile project can be a great success, securing a community asset truly valued by the people of Pocklington and beyond.
Fundraising is essential to the success of the Burnby Hall Community Centre project. We need to raise as much money as possible to fund essential work to repurpose the building and although the Pocklington Community Trust can access grant funding, many grants require match-funding.
The Community Trust has already secured some grant funding. The trustees would like to take the opportunity to thank YOR4Good and the Two Ridings Foundation for their financial support. With the completion of the Community Asset Transfer, the Trust will now be able to apply for larger capital grants that are available to fund major community and heritage projects.
If you would like to become involved in the project or to donate, please go to www.burnbyhall.org.uk for details.
