Story: Douglas Johnson
Forum House is being brought back into use – with a Council grant.
The building is on a prime site, on Spital Hill next to the ring road and with a large car parking space. It used to be occupied by the Black Community Forum, who refurbished the building after winning European funding, and then later by the Burngreave Community Learning Campaign. It has been empty since the Council took over the management of the former New Deal buildings.
The Council has now agreed to lease the building to Hamilton College, a Londonbased training business, for ten years. Councillors will also spend £100,000 on a small programme of works before the new business moves in.
The Council should get a regular rent and it will bring the building back into use. However, at a time of cuts, the Messenger asked why the Council didn’t negotiate a rent-free period so the Council didn’t have to spend a large sum in advance, a common arrangement for commercial leases. The College made over £1 million profit in their last accounts.
A Council spokesperson said
“This rental will save the Council around £550,000 over the 10 years as a result of the rent and cost savings.”