Protest today at Tothill
Questions remain over the future of Tothill Community Centre, with local councillors calling for greater clarity over when the building will reopen and what its long-term future will be.
The centre, including the Little Cafe, has been closed for around six months following fire safety concerns. The closure has also affected other groups and users who rely on the community facility.
Reform councillor Steve Rickets said community centres provide a vital place for people to meet, access activities and build stronger communities.
He said residents deserved clarification about the situation at Tothill and should be reassured that everything possible was being done to get the affected parts of the centre safely reopened as soon as possible.
Conservative councillor Chris Woods also called for the building to be secured for the future.
“It’s important that this community space is able to reopen safely,” he said.
“The council should explore all avenues to secure the building for the future of the local area so people can continue to enjoy it for years to come.”
Cllr Woods also criticised communication from the council, saying it appeared to have been poor and had caused anxiety about the site’s viability.
He said residents should be reassured about the council’s intentions for the centre.
Plymouth Post has contacted Plymouth City Council’s press office with three specific questions.
We asked when the community centre is expected to reopen, whether the council could confirm that the building will not be demolished or sold for housing, and whether current users of Tothill Community Centre will be given the opportunity to take over the facilities.
At the time of publication, the Labour run council had not responded to those questions.
Green Party councillor Byron Driver said on Friday that following a meeting between council officers, ward councillors and cabinet member Kate Taylor, it had been agreed that Tothill Community Centre should be saved.
Cllr Driver said the meeting had been secured after concerns over missed deadlines and a lack of communication with councillors and residents.
He said the Labour administration had admitted that errors had been made during the process and criticised the level of openness with ward councillors, the Sutton and Mount Gould community and the Little Cafe.
“I’m relieved that we’ve reached this point and I hope lessons are made for how the council engages with its tenants and community groups in the future,” he said.
He added that he hoped the next steps would be timely and discussed openly.
For the many people who use Tothill Community Centre, the immediate questions remain when the building can safely reopen, what facilities will be available to existing users, and what the council’s long-term plans are for the site.
Photographs © Wayne Perry / Plymouth Post
