Co Down village's War Memorial Community Hall faces struggle for survival after being denied council funding
A Co Down community hall is facing a struggle for survival after missing out on funding from Newry, Mourne and Down Council.
And the council says it will not make a U-turn that could save Crossgar War Memorial Community Hall with the community claiming a petition to save the facility has been ignored.
The volunteers who run the Hall have made extended efforts to navigate an application process since 2023 for £3k of annual funding and even reached out to the Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman.
The lack of funding could now spell the end to a hall that has served across the whole community since 1952.
Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service chairperson of Crossgar War Memorial Community Hall, Ann Patterson said: “We were very disappointed when the council rejected our request in 2023 for help towards the upkeep of the only community hall in Crossgar, despite us receiving this grant for many years.
“We were baffled by the reasons the council gave for rejecting our funding and we became particularly frustrated by the constant moving of the goalposts by the council when these reasons were challenged.
“We knew going through NIPSO would be an incredibly protracted process, two years in the end, but the survival of this community hall was dependent on regaining the council grant we are entitled to.”
Mrs Patterson added: “We are a small and aging group of volunteers who break our backs keeping a busy community facility available to the public in the absence of any council facility in a village with 2,000 plus residents.
“Our community hall hosts the vast majority of the village’s social groups, including youth clubs, pensioners groups, bowling, singing, crafts, ballet, Jujutsu, Gaelic football, Zumba, pigeon club, line dancing, historical society, wellbeing groups, blood donations, birthday parties, school events, community meetings, concerts, bazaars, numerous fundraisers, and even council events, the list goes on.
"It is used by hundreds of people every week of all ages, religions and interests. Without this hall, Crossgar’s social life would be a shell of itself.
“We were touched when hall users began a petition to save our hall’s funding and this has been signed by well over a hundred users without really being advertised.
"I asked the council leadership if they or a representative would agree for us to hand this petition over to them six months ago, however, they never responded.”
Crossgar War Memorial Hall was opened on Remembrance Day 1952 as a memorial to the local men who lost their lives in the two World Wars.
The NIPSO decision on the funding has not been made public, but the council has confirmed it has had a written response.
DUP councillor Callum Bowsie said: “Crossgar War Memorial Hall has been a lifeline to the village for over seven decades.
“The hall committee has demonstrated incredible patience in seeking to resolve this matter amicably. However, the council’s refusal to accept that its application form needs to be clearer, despite an Ombudsman’s remarks, is a cause of deep concern.
“The council’s senior management can still not acknowledge how ambiguous questions on forms have contributed to key community organisations being denied vital funding.”
A council spokesperson said: “The council delivers a range of grant and financial assistance programmes to support community groups and to recognise the vital contribution these groups make across the district.
“As part of this commitment, the council provides guidance materials and support to all applicants through the financial assistance workshops and the availability of one-to-one support from the Grants and Funding Unit to help applicants navigate the process.
“To ensure fairness and consistency for all applicants, the council is unable to reopen or reconsider the original Service Level Agreement (SLA) application submitted by the Crossgar War Memorial Hall Committee.
“NIPSO’s recent written confirmation to the council also reaffirmed that there was no evidence of maladministration and that no further action is required.”
The spokesperson added: “The SLA application submitted by the Crossgar War Memorial Hall Committee was assessed in full against the approved criteria, with the outcome determined on the overall merits of the application within the established funding process.
“The council remains committed to supporting community organisations through its funding programmes and application support mechanisms, and wishes the Crossgar War Memorial Community Hall Committee every success in their future endeavours.”