Breakthrough on Reopening Historic Hall in Sheffield

People campaigning for the reopening of an 18th century Grade II listed building in a Sheffield park, are celebrating after Sheffield City Council granted the newly revived Friends of Meersbrook Hall, an access license for some limited activities over the next two months. ‘We brought local people together at a public meeting in February to express our concern about the deterioration of this wonderful building after three years of closure’ says Mark Cordle, new Chair of the Friends group.

‘In May, we elected a new 13 person management committee and began negotiating with the council to enable us to get into the building and to begin developing a plan for how we might reopen the building to the community’, adds Mark.

We want to see this hall developed as thriving centre for the arts, education, health and social enterprise and as a place which meets community needs’.

‘We’ve been given a short term license by the council, which has been very helpful to us and we’re already planning a Community Picnic on Sunday 13th September 12-4 outside the hall, with lots of live local entertainment’.

‘We’ll also be joining hands around the hall at 2.30pm on this day to symbolise our affection for this building and our desire to see it open and utilised for everyone’.

The Friends of Meersbrook Hall is also appealing for volunteers to get involved in a ‘Big Clean-Up Weekend’ in the hall on 4th-6th September and local people can also take a tour of the building as part of ‘Heritage Open Days’ on Friday 11th and Friday 18th September.

A new book to accompany the Heritage Open Days Tours is also being published by the group. ‘The Story of Meersbrook Hall’ by Ken Dash will be on sale at the community picnic or online.

‘We are very grateful for the support of our local councillors, especially Cllr Marieane Elliott for backing this initiative and although we are well aware of the risks and costs of taking action to save this building, we believe that to do nothing is not an option if we are to save and invest in our heritage for future generations’.

Meersbrook Hall was home to the Ruskin Museum in Sheffield for 63 years and Florence Nightingale stayed there as a child. It was also a military base during WWII and barrage balloons were stationed there.

‘We believe this is significant heritage and cultural asset for Sheffield, not just for Meersbrook and we want people to tell us what they’d like to see it used for’, concludes Mark.

For more details or to get involved with the Friends of Meersbrook Hall go to www.meersbrookhall.org.uk or email info@meersbrookhall.org.uk