Plea to MP to help save Hungerford's Queen Anne building

FORMER town mayor Martin Crane has reached out to Newbury MP Laura Farris in his campaign to restore a Hungerford High Street "gem".

It is now 20 years since the Queen Anne building at 15 and 15a was allowed to start deteriorating.

In 2012, after years of wrangling, the town council secured an undertaking in principal from the building's owner, the Co-op, that the structure should be renovated.

The Co-op sent contractors last month to shore up roof tiles that threatened to fall on pedestrians below – but that is as far as the work went.

In a letter to Mrs Farris, Mr Crane wrote: "For over 10 years , Hungerford Town Council has been pursuing the owner of these properties... to address the issues of negligence, and thus maintenance and renovation, of the building referred to as the Queen Anne house.

"To date, there has been very little progress and there has been a complete lack of any meaningful of dialogue with the group."

He added: "However, recent work to protect residents from the danger of falling roof tiles, has demonstrated that the Co-op is aware of the legal implications of further deterioration of the building.

"Nevertheless they remain steadfast in refusing to divulge their plans, if any, to renovate and bring this 'gem' of our High Street into use to the benefit of both the Co-op and Hungerford High Street.

"From my earlier copied correspondence, you are aware of this situation."

Mr Crane went on to implore Mrs Farris, as MP, to contact senior management at the Co-op and "to encourage them to work with Hungerford Town Council, West Berkshire Council and all other interested parties, to bring this building back to life for the benefit of all".

He concluded: "I, and other recipients of this request, look forward to your response and potential action plan."

There have been suggestions that, rather than be left to rot, the building could be used to house a town museum.

Mr Crane has urged Co-op management to take advantage of grants which could be available to help with the cost of such a project.

The Co-op group had not responded to a request for comment as this newspaper went to press.