Community groups have been given the chance to bid for a North Yorkshire village hall after its owners confirmed plans to sell the site despite local opposition.<\/p>\n
Newby and Scalby Community Hall, near Scarborough, was recently listed as an Asset of Community Value, triggering a legal process aimed at giving local organisations the opportunity to buy it.<\/p>\n
North Yorkshire Council said the trust which owns the hall had formally notified it of plans to sell the building.<\/p>\n
A six-week interim moratorium period will run until 19 August. If a community group registers an interest in buying the hall before then, a six-month moratorium would be triggered, delaying any sale until January 2027.<\/p>\n
The proposed sale was announced last month following an informal tender process and forms part of plans to create Wilson’s Food & Community Hall.<\/p>\n
Trustees said the sale would secure the hall’s future, create new opportunities for local people and ensure any proceeds remained within the charity.<\/p>\n
However, the proposal prompted strong opposition from some residents, who questioned the level of consultation and whether the reported \u00a3300,000 sale price represented value for money.<\/p>\n