THE owner of Minehead Old Hospital this week welcomed the move from Minehead Connect CIC to negotiate for a take-over of the 130-year-old landmark building.

Bill Howard, who bought the redundant hospital six years ago, said: “This is a great opportunity for the town’s organisations to come together and create something amazing for everyone.”

As reported in last week’s Free Press, Minehead Connect, which manages the building, was hoping to buy the hospital from Mr Howard as part of a development scheme which could top £7 million.

“The next steps will need significant external funding,” Mr Howard said. “But unfortunately, with local government policy being against private ownership of public facilities, those doors are closed to us.

“So now the time has arrived when the best way to move the project forward is to pass ownership from my hands into community ownership. This is the process we are working on now.”

Mr Howard said he would like to give “a huge thank you to my friends and co-volunteers for all the happy times and fulfilment I have enjoyed over the years being part of Minehead Connect and Gateway Events.

“This is not just in progressing the old hospital project but also in putting on some really successful events such as the recent Christmas festivals and the Beacon to Beach run. 

“I feel really privileged to have been part of a group of so determined and successful ‘doers’. In addition I’m also really glad that I’ve been able to play a part in saving this fine old property for the community rather than simply allowing it to be swallowed up in some other less fitting end.”

Mr Howard told the Free Press: “Since acquiring the building and putting the long term plan in place, as a team we have done amazingly well, already restoring and rehabilitating large areas to community use with no public funding, limited private funding and yet now reaching self-sustainability.

“These last 12 months particularly have been the most encouraging, proving the project really does have a valid and viable role to play in today’s community. All in all a brilliant achievement by the team. 

“So it’s fundamentally not about anyone giving up and walking away, or family issues. It’s really all about the best way forward for the project - which is of course for the community.

“This really is a great opportunity for the town’s various organisations to come together and create something amazing for everyone, I really do hope enough people can see this and are able to overcome their differences, work together and make the project the success it deserves to be.”