Community News

NEW SCOUT HUT

Plans are under way for a long-awaited replacement scout hut for the 5th Burgess Hill Scouts. Based in Gordon Road in Worlds End, the Scout troop has been running since 1957, originally meeting at Manor Field School and moving into the current wooden hut in 1966.

However, after more than fifty years, the hut is showing its age so the group plans to replace it with a brand new, purpose-built Scout Hut, to continue to provide Scouting to north Burgess Hill for the next fifty years and more. Obviously, this is going to take a huge amount of money and the Group needs to raise as much as possible.

If you would like to support the young people in their quest for a new hut, or for further information about the Scouts, please contact Clive Everest on 01273 846433 or email cliveeverest1@gmail.com.

THE KILN

The Kiln is a project initiated by Burgess Hill Shed to create an adaptable workspace for use by individuals and community groups.

The centre will house arts and craft studios, craft and maker workshops to enable resourceful people in our community to work together. It will also provide community groups with access to space and resources to promote health and well-being and collaborate on projects of benefit to the community.

As a member, you will be able to undertake your own project, work with others on group projects or work on community projects, and you will be able to join handson arts and crafts activities. Volunteers are also welcome to help with day to day operations. The Kiln is being created in the former Argos building in The Martlets Shopping Centre. Details at www.thekiln.org.uk or pop in any Thursday between 10am and 2.30pm.

BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR TOWN

It has been a tough year for Burgess Hill residents and businesses alike facing the many challenges Covid-19 has brought during these unprecedented times and Burgess Hill Town Council is no exception.

Despite these difficult times, Burgess Hill Town Council has managed to achieve a great deal through the course of 2020. The Town Council has stepped up and provided a considerable amount of support through the first lockdown and, due to the skill and professionalism of the team, were able to move to a home working pattern with very little disruption. With our excellent connections in the community we supported two significant hamper initiatives reaching over 750 people in each instance. Our Maintenance Team demonstrated their versatility by being able to fit out units in the new Trading Spaces located in The Martlets Shopping Centre.

Two new charities have been formed. The Beehive CIO (Charitable Incorporated Organisation) will put the Town Council in a position to bring the major project to replace the Martlets Hall forward and we will embark on a consultation with the community on it early in the New Year. The Burgess Hill Community Cupboard CIO is the Town Council’s project to tackle long term food insecurity amongst sections of the town’s community and this initiative will go live in the early New Year as well.

Burgess Hill Town Council rolled out two major policy initiatives this year, Bridge the Gap and Trading Spaces. Their prime purposes are to lift trading activity and footfall in the town centre, bring empty retail units back into use and give the town breathing space in that period before redevelopment of The Martlets Shopping Centre takes place. A key element of Bridge the Gap is the Town Market which is proving to be highly successful with stall holders seeing regular customers returning each month.

As for Trading Spaces, the Town Council took the brave decision to directly intervene in the market by taking a lease on the former William Hill Interiors unit and refitting it. It is now home to three trading enterprises and the soon to be opened Burgess Hill Pantry (Community Cupboard). The decision to lease the vacant William Hill Interiors unit directly led to further interest from charities and traders. By the end of the first quarter of 2021 most of the units at the top of The Martlets Shopping Centre will be reoccupied and, hopefully, the old library site will have been cleared.

Councillor Robert Eggleston, Leader of Burgess Hill Town Council said: “our actions are already having a positive impact on footfall. Absolute numbers of visitors are up and there is a spike on market day. But significantly, the Market Place Shopping Centre team is reporting a 38% increase in ‘walk-through’ at the door that connects Market Place to The Martlets Shopping Centre. In other words, we have created a pull factor.”