A FORMER town hall which is due to be sold should stay in public hands, says a leading councillor.

Bacup Councillor John Holt, a former mayor of the old Borough of Bacup, wants Stubbylee Hall to remain a public building rather than be sold as a nursing home, hotel or for other commercial use.

The magnificent house in the centre of Stubbylee Park was given to the town 100 years ago along with Bacup baths and Maden recreation ground by industrialist John Henry Maden. It was Bacup Town Hall until Bacup became part of Rossendale Borough Council in the 1970s and now houses the council's engineering and planning department.

But it is due to be sold along with Rawtenstall Town Hall as part of Rawtenstall town centre redevelopment plans. Rossendale Council hopes to house all town hall staff in a refurbished Ilex Mill.

Coun Holt, Bacup's longest serving councillor and leader of the Tory group on Rossendale Council, said he would be sorry to see Stubbylee Hall sold but said the whole concept of improving shopping facilities in Rawtenstall had to take precedence.

But he added: "Stubbylee must be used for a purpose that the whole town wants, not just as a hotel or a nursing home."

He warned that overdevelopment of Rawtenstall could have a knock-on effect on Bacup and Haslingden which could be reduced to convenience shopping centres.

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