Swanage Town Council Press Release
Swanage Town Council will consider the future of the town’s bandstand at its next monthly meeting on Monday 21st August 2017.
In February of this year the Council set a 6-month deadline for interested parties to come forward with proposals for the site, which would be given serious consideration before any final decision was taken.
Town Councillors are local residents elected by the local community and therefore reflect a range of views: some are committed to seeing it fully restored, whilst others fear that it is not the best use of taxpayers’ money, arguing that it would be better to put available funds towards the town’s other outdoor performance space at Prince Albert Gardens, near the pier, which has been increasingly well used over recent years.
The Council has received a proposal from the newly-formed Friends of Swanage Bandstand, offering assistance to raise funds to restore the bandstand, and to encourage greater use of this facility in the future. This followed a very positive meeting between the Council and the Friends, together with the Town Band, in late July.
Councillor Caroline Finch, chairman of the Tourism Committee, stated: 'I have been so pleased to see such a great public response about the future of the bandstand. We are working with all parties concerned and I am, personally, very hopeful for a restoration of the bandstand’. She continued ‘It has been heart-warming to see the community working together’.
The Friends’ proposal, together with views from across the community, will be discussed at the Council meeting on 21st August, after which a further public statement will be issued.
10th August 2017
Editors’ Notes:
The roof of the bandstand, which was erected in 1923, was found to be structurally unsound when refurbishment works were commenced back in 2012 to address serious storm damage. It had been hoped to have the bandstand restored prior to the London Olympics torch relay, but sadly the structure had deteriorated beyond repair having been warped by ground movement over the past 90 years. Having made the site safe the roofless structure has remained in place.