Halesowen community venue 'here to stay' as council reverses decision to sell
Council bosses have confirmed the Cornbow Hall in Halesowen is “here to stay” and will continue to operate as a community and entertainment venue.
Dudley Council had been in early negotiations for the potential sale of the building due to the financial strain on council budgets, but the council has since reviewed this decision.
The hall will now remain open and all existing bookings at the hall can go ahead as planned.
Councillor Simon Phipps, cabinet member for regeneration and enterprise, said: "The bottom line is that the Cornbow Hall costs the council £100,000 a year to run and we were exploring options that would remove this added pressure on the council’s finances. This was the case even before the pandemic hit.
"But it’s clear the hall is a much-valued community venue and we are committed to exploring alternative options to keep it open for the people of Halesowen.
"This could still include the sale of the building but with the condition it continues to run as a community venue or bringing an organisation on board to run it on the council’s behalf, a model we’ve seen work well elsewhere in the borough. I would urge interested parties to get in touch with us.
"In the meantime, we’ll also be looking at how we can make the building more commercially viable if it remains with the council.
"We’ve already briefed staff about this decision and are in the process of updating people and organisations with bookings at the hall.
"Now is the time for people to show their affection for the Cornbow Hall by booking tickets to upcoming shows and hiring the rooms we have available.
"I’m pleased to assure people that Cornbow Hall is here to stay."
