Concerns Raised Over Alleged "Neo-Nazism" Activity At Wootton Bridge Community Centre

Claims of neo-Nazism and an “extreme right-wing” takeover of Wootton Bridge Community Centre were aired at a public parish council meeting this week.

Residents raised serious concerns about how the centre is being used, with questions also being asked over whether it remains an appropriate venue to act as a polling station for the upcoming Isle of Wight Council elections.

Speaking at Wootton Bridge Parish Council on Tuesday evening (January 20), a resident, Derk, said some people in the village no longer felt welcome at the community centre and claimed others had been turned away.

He warned the situation could “end up quite nasty” and suggested an action committee be formed to address the issue.

The concerns follow confirmation that the Charity Commission has opened a compliance case into “alleged political activity” at the centre, which is leased from the Isle of Wight Council and run by the Wootton Bridge Community Association.

Posters promoting the Patriot Club Isle of Wight had previously appeared outside the building.

However, the group says it has now cut ties with the centre and no longer holds meetings there.

At the meeting, Derk claimed those involved were “extreme right wing” and alleged political meetings had taken place at the venue. He also said some residents attending events had been refused entry.

Sophus E. Magill, who was co-opted onto the parish council at the meeting, described the Patriot Club as “a type of hate group”, while another resident, Darren Hopkins, said the community centre was an “essential asset” that should be accessible to everyone.

Parish clerk Liz Kingston said she had concerns about the centre being used as a polling station in its current form and confirmed she has raised the issue with the Isle of Wight Council and contacted the Charity Commission for updates.

She said she had no issue with who hires the venue, provided it is available to all groups equally.

Councillor Linda Pitcher told the meeting:

“It’s not doing the village any good at all the way it is – we don’t want them here.”

Controversial commentator Katie Hopkins is due to speak at the centre on May 23 as part of her ‘Free Range’ stand-up tour, according to her website.

The Patriot Club has strongly denied being a hate group and rejected all allegations made at the meeting, including claims that residents were excluded.

In a statement, a spokesperson described the group as a “lawful, community-based association” and said it had raised internal concerns about how the centre was being managed.

They confirmed the group has now cut ties with the venue and no longer meets there.

Wootton Bridge Community Association and the Isle of Wight Council have been contacted for comment.

An Isle of Wight Council spokesperson said this afternoon:

“We are aware that the matter has been raised with the CC who have opened a compliance case and we await the outcome of the Charity Commission consideration of this.”