Your World of Legal Intelligence
 United Kingdom | +44 (0) 20 7284 8080

Charity on brink of folding after Northumberland County Council sells building; Staff at the Little Gems Arts and Craft Gallery charity are 'absolutely gutted' after being evicted from their base.

Document Cited in Related
Vincent

Byline: Michael Muncaster

ANorthumberlandarts charity is on the verge of folding after its base was sold to a private developer.

Woodhorn Villa inNewbiggin-by-the-Sea, used by The Little Gem Arts and Crafts Gallery, has been bought for an undisclosed fee.

Staff at the charity say they have been left with nowhere to run their classes and fear for its future.

Chairman and volunteer Brian Strachan, 75, said: "We are absolutely gutted and all groups are temporarily shut down.

"We spent the weekend clearing out the building but we are hoping we will be able to find a new premises soon."

The charity has been running for eight years and is popular with young and old in the community.

Staff run a weekly children's arts club as well as photography and writing groups.

The final session was held last Friday before the volunteers were evicted from the building.

Mr Strachan said the charity had been in talks withNorthumberland County Council, who owned the property, about moving into Newbiggin Sports and Community Centre.

He said: "We were promised that we could move in but it all changed. They never got back to us.

"By spuriously selling our base and not fulfilling their promises, the council has left this grassroots charity and Newbiggin tourist attraction homeless and on the brink of closure.

"If they'll do that to a charity run by volunteers for the good of the community, whose art club members include...

To continue reading

Request your trial
COPYRIGHT MGN Ltd.

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT