Formby Hall’s future to be debated at full council

A motion for Wigan Council’s next full meeting on September 9 concerning Formby Hall is being proposed and seconded by Wigan Independent Network (Win) representative for Atherton Coun Jamie Hodgkinson and Conservative leader of the opposition Coun James Grundy.

The motion will ask the council to “endeavour to fulfil the promise it made to the people of Atherton” and ensure it remains available for public use.

Formby Hall was purchased from the council by Rose Leisure who recently sold it to the Formby Hall Investments (FHI) group, which intends to knock it down and build a nursing home and flats for supported living.

Coun Hodgkinson said: “Formby Hall is a community asset and the motion is a chance to say what the people of Atherton want, which is to have their facility back.

“It’s part of the town’s heritage and it’s just going to be knocked down, I think it stinks.”

Coun Grundy said: “We were promised the civic halls would be preserved for community use but the covenants seem to be all air and glitter.

“I don’t understand why the community-run model couldn’t be used.”