The former Oddfellows’ Hall of Barton-upon-Humber has received conservation work after years of neglect.
Thanks to action from North Lincolnshire Council, The Grade II listed building, which is one of a number of listed buildings in the town including the nearby Assembly Rooms and Wilderspin School, has seen many recent improvements.
Located on the High Street, the building dates back to 1864 and has long been a part of the town’s social and architectural history.
For well over a century the hall has been a hub for the local community. It’s been Barton’s first cinema – the ‘Electric Picture Theatre’, a roller-skating rink and a dancehall during the Second World War.
Most recently Oddfellows’ Hall is occupied on the ground floor by a small number of flats, with the upper floor being disused for over 40 years and showing serious signs of deterioration.
Reports were regularly received of broken glass falling from the upper windows and gutters and drains had become blocked with long grass and vegetation which had seeded and grown – increasing the likelihood of further serious issues with the building.
Following several unsuccessful informal attempts to contact the building owner regarding the necessary repairs, North Lincolnshire Council’s Planning Enforcement Team and conservation officers compiled a notice under Section 215 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.
This section of the legislation provides power to local authorities to require proper maintenance of land, the definition of which includes all buildings on that land. If works specified in the notice are not complied with by the owner/s of the land/building in the notice, the local authority can undertake those works in default and reclaim the costs from the owners.
The building owner fully complied with the notice and made a number of necessary repairs including:
• Removing existing boarding from first floor windows and replacing with black painted boarding specifically fitting each window opening
• Securing all first floor level windows and openings
• Clearing all gutters and drains
• Replacing all missing gutters, downpipes and waste pipes
Barton Councillor, Paul Vickers, said: “It’s disappointing when our significant and historic buildings such as Oddfellows’ Hall are not upkept as they should be.
“The council has a duty to preserve or enhance the appearance and character of our listed buildings and so had to step in. The end result in this case is a positive one with the building benefitting from many repairs.
“Where landlords of listed buildings are not pro-active in maintenance and upkeep then the council have the power to take action to stop further deterioration.”
Owners of historic buildings can find more information on the Historic Environment Record page of the website or contact North Lincolnshire Council if they have any queries around maintaining their properties.
