New Owner Found for The Bridge
PAUL MCLAUGHLIN
The future of The Bridge Community Centre in Hastings has been secured after current owners, the Parchment Trust, announced they have found a new buyer for the building on Priory Road. The centre, which has been closed for over seven years, had been listed for sale by the Trust for an eye-watering £650,000, despite having been gifted to charity to provide personalised, community-based day services and support for adults with learning disabilities, physical disabilities, and autism.
The Parchment Trust confirmed it had reached an agreement with a “fantastic new owner” for The Bridge following discussions that began in December. While the identity of the new owner remains unknown “due to commercial sensitivities”, the Trust revealed that two “incredible charities” are involved in the takeover, both of which are said to be fully committed to upholding the existing covenants requiring The Bridge to be used for community benefit.
The announcement follows a period of uncertainty for the much-loved community asset. The Parchment Trust took on The Bridge in 2018 as part of a vision to expand its services to “create the UKs first community centre run by disabled people for the benefit of the whole community”. The aim was to “provide valuable work experience for disabled people, and a wonderful resource for everyone to connect, learn and benefit from time together”.
However, these plans were never realised, and the building remained closed for several years. The charity secured full ownership of the community centre in March 2024, following what it described as “an extremely lengthy and complicated transfer process involving several parties”.
Upon taking full ownership, the Trust again set out ambitious plans and promised to invest significant funds to renovate the centre with the aim of opening to the public by summer 2025. These plans similarly came to nothing.
Late last year the Parchment Trust announced it “could not continue with the renovation and operation of The Bridge without jeopardising its core services” and barely a year after being gifted ownership of the building listed it for sale for £650,000.
The decision provoked outrage, uniting the local Labour MP, the Conservative-led East Sussex County Council (ESCC) and the Green-led Hastings Borough Council – all of whom vehemently opposed the sale. The county council even went as far as to threaten legal action to block any sale because of a Deed of Covenant on the building which obliges the Parchment Trust to use and manage the property for the benefit of the community within the Ore Valley area in Hastings and to ensure that the property is open to the public for at least 20 hours during a week. ESCC insisted that the deed would cover any subsequent purchaser, who would be required to enter into a deed on similar terms.
The Parchment Trust defended its actions stating that the sale process had been “guided by a Charities Act Valuation”. The organisation said they had rejected approaches from unsuitable parties, including from property developers, who were not seen as capable of or committed to fulfilling the community covenants.
The legal process is expected to be completed within the next three months, with all parties “fully committed” and “working at speed” to finalise the transfer, but with no mention of the price paid for the building.
Cllr Julia Hilton, the Deputy Leader of Hastings Borough Council and Lead Councillor for Shaping Place said it was “really good news that this great building that was built with public money will be back in use for the community as soon as possible”.
Helena Dollimore, the Labour MP for Hastings and Rye said she was “delighted that a great local charity will be taking over the Bridge and ensuring this space remains open for community use”. The MP said she had raised the issue in Parliament, and had had “helpful discussions with local charities, with the Charity Commission and local councils to help ensure the future of the Bridge is secured”.
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