Under R4U leadership, Saffron Walden Town Council has just completed the purchase of the former NatWest Bank building adjoining the Town Hall and will be bringing it into use again.
Richard Porch (R4U)Cllr Porch continued “The Council has been looking for new premises since it moved out of Emson Close in 2020. This building is perfect. The intention is to use the first floor for the Council offices, return the ground floor and basement back for retail or similar use, and in due course to convert the second floor to either commercial or residential use. The Council is starting work immediately on implementing its plans to get the building back into use as soon as practicable.”
The important building on the market square directly adjoins the Town Hall, to its left
Paul Gadd (R4U)Cllr Gadd continued “Council staff have been temporarily working from the Town Hall Committee Room and Council Chamber for much of the last 2 years. These rooms are now being returned to community and other uses. For example, since Barclays closed their Market Square building at the end of August, they have rented the committee room for 2 days a week to continue to provide banking services to residents. The purchase of the former NatWest building should be a very successful investment for the Council, whilst at the same time providing much needed office and retail space and importantly breathing new life into a building which has sadly stood empty for a number of years.”