The Mill Arts & Events Centre in Rayleigh, Essex, known locally as 'The Mill Hall', has been a well-used and well-loved vital community centre for 50 years, and pre-Covid Pandemic was busier than ever.
Without consulting the residents and with some staff of The Mill Hall only finding out via social media that they would be losing their jobs, Rochford District Council are rushing through plans to demolish this vital community hub, and replace it with flats, and a much smaller-sized hall, that will not be suitable for many of the groups and events that until the Pandemic, were using The Mill Hall's ample facilities on a daily basis.
A smaller hall will mean live music, comedy nights, craft fairs and many other events that currently take place at The Mill Hall will no longer be able to take place, because the reduced size will mean that it will not be possible to sell enough tickets to recoup the costs of hosting such events.
We call upon Rochford District Council to listen to the voices of residents and the groups who use this essential community facility, and halt plans to demolish our Mill Hall community centre, which will be needed as a place for the community to come together and socialise more than ever, once the Pandemic is over.
Watch 'Save The Mill Hall' video