• Copy of a letter sent to Councillor David Perry, the leader of Harrow Borough Council:

​I am writing to strongly oppose the possible closure of the Harrow Arts Centre and the Harrow Museum in your budget considerations.

The arts centre is a brilliant cultural facility — buzzing with activity at all hours of the day with a wide variety of activities being carried out by people of all ages and ethnic groups.

It is the only centre in the borough that truly captures and represents the multi-cultural character of Harrow.

At a time when it is most needed, the arts centre bridges the divides and successfully brings communities together.

It has made enormous strides in the past few years to develop this vital role and there is no doubt that its continuation would build on that.

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During the day, all of the space appears full with people involved in discussion groups, U3A lectures, arts, and crafts, design workshops, yoga and exercise, dance and all kinds of music teaching and appreciation.

In addition, the Elliot Hall and the arts centre house many amateur and professional events including concerts, pantomimes and theatre plays — we recently attended a brilliant Bollywood musical concert, as well as one by Courtney Pine — a local lad born and raised in Harrow.

In addition, the centre is home to a number of local bands and music groups, not least being Harrow’s Apollo Male Voice Choir, which is a nationally recognised choir.

The studio theatre further adds to the range and diversity of opportunities for the arts through children’s shows, theatre productions and other events.

The Harrow Arts Centre is unique and such a valuable asset to the borough, it must not be closed.

I recognise of course, the need for Harrow Borough Council to balance the books.

I also recognise that a substantial amount of accommodation on the existing site is expensive to maintain.

For that reason however, the site is very poorly utilised with a great deal of underused land within its boundaries.

The council should be looking at more imaginative ways to consolidate the area used by the arts centre, perhaps building new two/three- storey arts centre rooms with new housing on the surplus land to provide the funding and establish a dowry for the centre.

At present, there is the Hatch End library, a doctor’s surgery, a modest swimming pool and recreational hall, as well as Daisy’s Café in addition to the arts centre.

These all combine to provide an important focus for the community.

But the heart of the complex is Elliot Hall — a magnificent Grade II listed building and now an excellent multi-purpose hall. It is an important part of Harrow’s heritage and it is your responsibility to ensure it is not neglected and does not fall into disrepair.

Please do not give up on all that has been achieved. Alternative sites containing facilities like Elliot Hall do not exist.

Finally, I have to offer equally strong support to the most important historical place in Harrow — Headstone Manor.

Over the years, the council has faced a number of difficult funding decisions to secure the future of this complex. Now with the real possibility of well-deserved lottery funding, the museum is set to move forward and become self-financing.

Please do not sacrifice our cultural and historical inheritance — once gone it will be lost forever.

Gareth Pryce

Old South Close, Hatch End

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