Lib Dems push for ‘ACV’ status for Hippodrome

Liberal Democrats in Brighton and Hove are supporting moves to get the Hippodrome declared an Asset of Community Value (ACV) as part of efforts to save the historic building as a live music venue for future generations.

WITH the Hippodrome petition due to be presented to Brighton & Hove City Council later this week, Brighton and Hove Lib Dems want the council to review its decision not to apply for ACV status.

The historic building in Middle Street is in urgent need of repairs. A recent proposal from the Vue cinema group met with massive local opposition as it would leave only the shell of the historic building intact and stop the venue ever returning to a live music venue in the future.

Jeremy Gale, the Liberal Democratic candidate for Central Hove, said: “We Lib Dems introduced the Asset of Community Value protection in the 2011 Localism Act precisely for cases such as this,”

“There is a possible rescue scheme proposed by the Our Brighton Hippodrome group, but in order to have a chance of succeeding, we need the six-month moratorium that ACV status would bring.

“The council must apply for this without delay as the building is in urgent need of repairs.”

Brighton Pavilion Lib Dem parliamentary candidate Chris Bowers. added: “People may have heard the term ‘Asset of Community Value’ being bandied about, but I suspect few really know what it means.

“The Lib Dems in government got it included in the Localism Act to give local communities a greater chance to find buyers for pubs and other facilities that might otherwise be sold off for development. Like the Hippodrome, many pubs are privately owned, but if a pub or facility is an Asset of Community Value, the owners have to notify the local council if they want to sell; and if a group of citizens wants to buy the asset, they are allowed six months to prepare their bid. The measure is really helping communities – so far, well over 100 pubs have been declared ACVs as well as certain theatres and sports stadiums.”

The Hippodrome is privately owned, but it is currently unclear what the owners of the Hippodrome intend doing next. Efforts by the local media to contact them have so far come to nothing.