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Community takes on under-threat historic hall

BBC Two men, one with silver hair and wearing dark sunglass, the other in clear glasses and woolly hat standing outside the Yorkshire stone hall BBC
Stephen Thompson and local councillor Luke Majkowski were among thousands who signed a petition to save the hall

A community group has agreed to lease a Grade II-listed hall that was under threat of closure.

Members of the Queensbury Community Programme (QCP) will rent Victoria Hall for the next two years after an agreement was signed with owners Bradford Council.

The council had planned to shut the historic building and considered selling it for redevelopment.

But a campaign to save it was launched and an online petition was signed by almost 2,500 people.

A man standing inside a concert hall
Campaigner Stephen Thompson in the Victoria Hall

The QCP had already been running the facility on the council's behalf since 2018.

However the group will now be responsible for the liability and running costs, which would save the council £65,000 annually. Its directors can also apply for restoration grants.

Director Stephen Thompson said: "Personally I'm elated. I think it's absolutely brilliant news. We've all worked very hard over this last five years.

"I think we've done a terrific job; that's blowing our own trumpet, of course!

"I will say at this stage we've worked very well with the local councillors, and the local council officers, in fairness, have been quite good.

"I think we've all got the one goal and that's to save Victoria Hall."

He added: "I think a big mention should go out to the people of Queensbury. The support that has been behind us to achieve this has been absolutely phenomenal."

Queensbury councillor Luke Majkowski was among those who fought to save the hall.

He said: "I'm humbled, to be honest. It's some of the best news we've had in Queensbury for many, many years.

"It's given us that freedom to actually go and where we've always had this wall stopping us, that wall's been removed and we can just run with it."

Trees mask a Victorian building in Yorkshire stone with a blue winter sky behind it.
Victoria Hall was built by the Foster family for the people of Queensbury and opened in 1891 after construction began a decade earlier

Bradford Council, like other local authorities, has been keen to sell off or transfer assets in order to plug budget shortfalls.

Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw said: “We are delighted that we have been able to work together with QCP to draw up this agreement and that this much-loved building can continue to be a vital hub for the people of Queensbury.”

Victoria Hall was built in 1891 and funded by the Foster family, who owned the local Black Dyke Mills. The Fosters also provided housing, shops and leisure facilities for their workers in Queensbury.

The hall's original layout included a concert venue, gallery seating, library and billiards room. It was also a sponsor of the mill's famous brass band.

It acted as a social club, educational institute and recreation centre for the village.

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