Once you've signed please email your councillor  -find their email address here: http://www.rotherham.gov.uk/councillors/search - It's vital that Rotherham Councillors realise how important this is and that they stand to lose (or win) votes on this.

Please like our Facebook page and share the petition link on there : https://www.facebook.com/savedoncastergatehospital

Website: http://rotherhamheritage.org.uk

We strongly object to RMBC's plans to demolish Doncaster Gate Hospital.  This hospital was built by public subscription - paid for by hard working people of Rotherham and Sheffield.  Doncaster Gate Hospital was given to the people BY the people.  We will not stand by as politicians sell the family jewels for short term financial gain.  

Being in a recession is no excuse for our elected representatives to allow the destruction of such an important historic landmark.  There has been no warning or public consultation, no plans announced - other than to flatten the site and grass it over.  Demolition of such an important building should not even be considered after only one year of marketing in a recession.  

Doncaster Gate Hospital may not be listed, but this building has historic and architectural value.  More than that, this is a building for which the people of Rotherham feel great affection, many of them having being born there.  This building makes a huge contribution to the historic character of this area, which unlike so much of Rotherham has remained relatively unharmed. RMBC said it recognised the merit of including the building in the Town Centre conservation area, and four years ago said it would go to public consultation to expand the conservation area.  This never happened, and now we know why.   

There is no evidence that RMBC have made any attempts to get heritage grants to help with the costs of renovating the building.  There is no evidence of any attempt to forge links with any of the public groups which would have been willing to help restore and make good use of this building which would have helped to open up funding. 

We are in a recession now, but if Rotherham wants to rise out of this recession, and have something to be proud of, then it needs to make the most of what history it has and of the grants that are available to help do this.  History books are not enough - we need to preserve these buildings for our children and their children to learn about.  Buildings like this are what gives Rotherham its identity  - without them, what is there to make Rotherham distinct from the next faceless town?