The Royal British Legion Crowland branch building will not be turned into a community asset after a community group bid failed

A bid to turn Crowland’s Royal British Legion building into a community asset has been rejected.

Talks of the 19th century building becoming an Asset of Community Value began in November 2020 after it was closed a few months prior.

The application was lodged by Crowland Cares after encouragement from Nigel Pepper, who is the ward member for South Holland District Council and Lincolnshire County Council.

However, it was rejected due to insufficient evidence that the group could fund repairs and renovations to the building.

There were also worries over there being just five trustees and 55 volunteers involved.

Coun Pepper said: “The Legion Hall has been an important part of our community and is the only real large indoor space we have in Crowland suitable for parties and community events, and is the type of building needed more than ever with the increase in population and when large spaces are required to meet Covid restrictions.

“The building is in really good shape after community fundraising for a new roof and it will be a terrible loss for the community.

“It saddens me also because my family have had an affiliation with the building for generations – my grandmother has her name cast in stone on the exterior of the Legion Club which came about as her parents contributed financially to the construction of the building when she was a little girl and my deceased father was Chairman of the Crowland branch for many years.”

Coun Pepper said that while the pandemic may have played a small part in the Legion building’s demise, but the main driving force was a lack of war veterans in Crowland - meaning the Royal British Legion Headquarters had to sell the building to raise funds.

“Crowland Parish Council stated at the outset that they weren’t in a position to be able to purchase the building more-so at this present time as they have taken on a sizeable project turning the sports hall behind South View School into a Sports and Wellbeing Centre,” he said.

“I tried to register the building myself as an Asset of Community Value, however unfortunately individuals cannot do this. My own last resort was to encourage Crowland Cares a local organisation who would dearly love the building which indeed they did, but unfortunately and disappointingly their submission has been declined.”