Sale Of Historic Vectis Hall Delayed Until September Amid Transparency Concerns

The planned auction of Ryde's historic Vectis Hall has been postponed until September, with Ryde Town Council citing ongoing legal matters that need to be resolved before the sale can proceed.

The future of the Grade II-listed building was discussed at a town council meeting this week, where concerns were also raised by residents over what they described as a lack of transparency surrounding decisions about the property.

Vectis Hall, a former free school dating back to the 19th century, was purchased by Ryde Town Council in 2020 for £125,000 with the intention of restoring the building and bringing it back into community use.

However, after several years of unsuccessful attempts to secure funding for the project, councillors voted in May to dispose of the property through public auction.

The building was subsequently listed by Clive Emson Auctioneers with a nil reserve, meaning it would be sold to the highest bidder regardless of the final sale price.

Addressing councillors and residents at this week's meeting, Town Clerk Lisa Dyer said the council had been forced to delay the auction while it dealt with a number of legal issues.

She also described the condition of the building as a significant concern, telling the meeting that Vectis Hall is "not a safe structure" and had become a liability for the council.

Responding to questions from residents, Ms Dyer said the council remained committed to ensuring the building had a future, but acknowledged the challenges involved in maintaining the historic site.

The meeting also saw criticism from local resident Jenny Wade, who questioned the amount of information being made available to the public about the council's handling of Vectis Hall.

Ms Wade said she believed residents had been excluded from key discussions and argued that taxpayers should be kept informed about decisions involving a building purchased and maintained using public funds.

Her comments came after councillors voted to exclude the public and press from part of the meeting while legal advice relating to Vectis Hall was discussed.

Speaking in support of the move, councillor Ian Stephens said the council should follow professional legal advice and protect its position while sensitive matters remain ongoing.

In a statement issued following the meeting, Ryde Town Council said its ambition for Vectis Hall has remained unchanged since purchasing the property five years ago.

The council said the original intention had been to restore the building for community benefit, but changing funding opportunities following the Covid-19 pandemic had made that increasingly difficult to achieve.

It added that the sale had been temporarily paused to address urgent legal matters and that councillors had acted on professional advice throughout the process.

The council says it hopes that when the property is eventually sold, it will attract a buyer who shares its vision of securing a long-term future for one of Ryde's most historic buildings.

Councillors have now formally approved the decision to defer the auction until September.