This is the Abraham Ormerod Building in it's glory days, and I would consider this building, given to the town by Mr. Ormerod himself as much a part of the heritage of Todmorden as the Town Hall or the Christ Church.
I am not going to go too heavily into the political ramifications as I have covered this in previous articles and wrote about this extensively in my "Fighting Back" newsletter, other than to say that I was in favour of the building of a much larger supermarket on the Halifax Road, on a site that badly needs developing.
I have always remained consistent on my attitude towards the Ormerod Building. It is ours, it was stolen from us in 1974 and has been deliberately allowed to rot. Apart from Dr. Shipman's one-time presence I have fond memories of the town Christmas tree, nativity and lights of this monument.
Those in politics say that this building ceased to be ours when the Yorkshire Area Health Authority (after that the Calderale/ Kirklees NHS Trust) took direct ownership after Todmorden Municipal Borough Corporation ceased to exist as a result of Ted Heath decimating the local Government structure. I still maintain this building was not theirs to sell.
Had a private residential dwelling been allowed to fall into the condition this building has, the owner would have been prosecuted. Never mind a Section 215 now, this needed to have been dealt with back then. It seems we have one rule for the public sector, another for the private sector.
I think, for me personally, we are due some thirty to forty years worth of rent, plus compensation, and the transfer of this site back to the Todmorden Council, even in it's present status as an emaciated Civil Parish. Or let the Central Government refurbish it and sign it back to us, and then we can call it quits.
Are we to believe that there was absolutely no way for buildings like this entrusted to their local Council to remain in local hands? Were there no clauses in the Local Government Act of 1973 that dealt with these circumstances? Was the Ormerod building the only such building ever to be caught up in this? Believe that if you want to.
Whatever your perspective on proposed supermarkets, whatever you think should be the fate of this building now. Surely you would agree with me that we have been robbed of a piece of our heritage, and that some heads must roll for this.
I am not going to go too heavily into the political ramifications as I have covered this in previous articles and wrote about this extensively in my "Fighting Back" newsletter, other than to say that I was in favour of the building of a much larger supermarket on the Halifax Road, on a site that badly needs developing.
I have always remained consistent on my attitude towards the Ormerod Building. It is ours, it was stolen from us in 1974 and has been deliberately allowed to rot. Apart from Dr. Shipman's one-time presence I have fond memories of the town Christmas tree, nativity and lights of this monument.
Those in politics say that this building ceased to be ours when the Yorkshire Area Health Authority (after that the Calderale/ Kirklees NHS Trust) took direct ownership after Todmorden Municipal Borough Corporation ceased to exist as a result of Ted Heath decimating the local Government structure. I still maintain this building was not theirs to sell.
Had a private residential dwelling been allowed to fall into the condition this building has, the owner would have been prosecuted. Never mind a Section 215 now, this needed to have been dealt with back then. It seems we have one rule for the public sector, another for the private sector.
I think, for me personally, we are due some thirty to forty years worth of rent, plus compensation, and the transfer of this site back to the Todmorden Council, even in it's present status as an emaciated Civil Parish. Or let the Central Government refurbish it and sign it back to us, and then we can call it quits.
Are we to believe that there was absolutely no way for buildings like this entrusted to their local Council to remain in local hands? Were there no clauses in the Local Government Act of 1973 that dealt with these circumstances? Was the Ormerod building the only such building ever to be caught up in this? Believe that if you want to.
Whatever your perspective on proposed supermarkets, whatever you think should be the fate of this building now. Surely you would agree with me that we have been robbed of a piece of our heritage, and that some heads must roll for this.