Be There if You Can!

A reminder from COGs Secretary about the event planned for Saturday: -

Just a quick reminder about our "Wake-up Call" event on Saturday - 11.00 in the Market Square. Evan Harris has agreed to come and lend his support and we have musicians lined up for entertainment afterwards and possibly before. We hope to get press and TV coverage so need as many people as possible to come and make a noise for 10 minutes - so bring your friends and families - noisy children and teenagers especially welcome - together with alarm clocks, bells, whistles or other noise-making devices.

Two other things you can do:

1) The decision on the future of the Gaol will be taken by the Executive - formally on 7 December, but in reality their minds will be made up a week or two before that. The full Council will be briefed on the proposals in mid-November and will make their recommendations to the Exec shortly after that. We need people to talk to Vale Councillors before mid-November to urge them to make their recommendations based on the broader value to the Vale community - taking account of social benefits not just the cash receipts. PLEASE contact your councillor asap to make your feelings known. Their contact details can be found on the Vale website http://whitehorsedc.moderngov.co.uk/mgMemberIndex.asp?bcr=1 Councillors have told us that hearing direct from the public does make a difference so it really is worth doing this.

2) Have you seen the latest issue of Vale Views? It has been delivered in some areas but not others, but can be seen on the Vale website. It includes a questionnaire about what people think should be in the Vale's "Community Strategy" - and announces a series of "Area Forum" open meetings so people can make their views known. The Abingdon meeting is on Wednesday 14 November - 7.00 p.m in the Guildhall. This is another - and very timely- opportunity to get the message across to the Vale. I hope we can get a good and vocal turnout from COG supporters at the meeting - and plenty of questionnaires returned!

Hester

The Eleventth Hour!

The Vale of the White Horse District Council's secrecy over the future of Abingdon's Old Gaol remains as tight or even tighter than before!. The wishes of townspeople of Abingdon and other local people have been resolutely ignored - amazingly the Vale has refused to discuss any proposal or suggestion from COG (Community in the Old Gaol). COG was formed eighteen months ago to try and ensure that some account was taken of the wishes of the local community in what is to become of this very important part of Abingdon's history.

COG continues to work behind the scenes for the inclusion of community facilities in the redeveloped Old Gaol.

Short listed developers are due to submit their bids and plans to the Vale Council by 22nd October, and to coincide with this, COG is organising an event : -

"WAKE-UP CALL FOR THE OLD GAOL!"

in Abingdon Market Place on Saturday 20th October at 11.00am prompt.

PLEASE COME ALONG AND SHOW YOUR SUPPORT.

The Vale found it difficult to ignore the petition that so many of you (now over 5000) signed earlier in the year; we want to show them once again that the Old Gaol really matters to the people of Abingdon and we want to be consulted when important decisions are being made.

Bring something noisy with you – alarm clock, whistle, drum, bell, trumpet….., the louder the better – and join us in a rousing wake up call for the Old Gaol before it is too late.

Chris Brown's jazz trio will be performing as part of this event at 1110am for half an hour.

Decision day approaches for the Old Gaol

Well summer's nearly gone! Our picture is a nostalgic reminder of July when COG presented its 4500-signature petition (now over 5000) to the Vale Council with the help of pupils from Thomas Reade School. COG has been very active in pursuing its aims (opposing the sale of the freehold of the Old Gaol, ensuring restored free public access to the river-side, and getting some community facilities into the building).

Thanks to all who supported COG events at the Abingdon Fun Day, especially knocking down the tins!
Our next planned event is on Saturday October 20th in Abingdon Market Place. We haven't got the details yet but we hope to do something big! Watch this space for more details soon. It's no coincidence that the following Monday 22 October is the day when the Vale plans, as I understand them, are to make known the "winner" or final short-list of developers. COG hopes to be involved closely in subsequent stages of the development. Readers of the Abingdon Herald will have seen a number of letters from COG members in the past few weeks. Below is reproduced the most recent one for those who have not seen it yet.

"Sir,

Reading the recent articles and letters about Abingdon town centre and its businesses, one could become quite depressed. Jennifer Corrigan asks if the Vale has a plan for the rejuvenation of the vibrancy and vitality of the town. How lucky for this District Council that there is a large, stunning, historic, beautiful riverside building right in the town centre that is empty, waiting to be redeveloped, and it belongs to them! How many other councils would love to have a building such as the Old Gaol at their disposal? This building and its surrounding area provides a rare opportunity to bring people into the town and to boost businesses and tourism. If it is transformed into the like of shops, craft rooms, restaurants, exhibition space, a venue and facilities people can use it could be just the thing to revitalise the town. But, as Glynn Butt pointed out in her letter, a housing developer may well offer more money. Has the Vale got the courage to invest in the long term prosperity of our beautiful town or will it opt for short term gain?
As a member of COG (Community in the Old Gaol) I have been working on the possibilities for the Old Gaol for years but I have absolutely no idea who or what the Council are considering. I am concerned by the secrecy surrounding the sale of the Old Gaol. Has the District Council got something to hide? I can only hope that they are looking at the bigger picture – a vision which members of COG can see so clearly.

Yours
Alison Mummery
Member
Community in the Old Gaol"

VALE OF SECRECY?

I must admit to feelings of frustration at the way the Vale District Council is dealing with the development ofAbingdon's Old Gaol (see also my letter in the Abingdon Herald of 30 August). Our organisation, COG (Community in the Old Gaol), was set up eighteen months ago with the aim of providing a focus for the interests of the local community on the future of the Old Gaol. COG is not a disruptive protest group but wants to engage positively with the Vale and the developers and make a contribution to the outcome. COG has done a lot of research amongst community groups and sites with relevant similarities (such as the successful Oxford Castle development , where discussions with a community groupntook place at an early stage).

It is the response from the Vale that I find frustrating. Despite a petition from 4500 local people (now over 5000) that was presented to the Vale in July in support of COG's aims there has to date been virtually no opportunity offered for any real discussion with the Vale or the proposed developers. Instead we seem to be faced with an extreme interpretation of "commercial confidentiality" to prevent any such discussion. The Vale has shorlisted an unknown number of unknown bidders and will decide on a "winner" (or final shorlist) in a couple of months. Surprisingly, Abingdon Town Council has similarly been kept in the dark. It might be supposed that the Vale has no real interest in what the community thinks, but just wants the maximum cash return that it can obtain.

The only bright note is that the Vale has recently agreed to pass to the bidders the portfolio of proposals developed by COG, although with the proviso that no direct discussion will be allowed, and that the Vale will act as a "conduit" for any exchange of information.

To restate COG's aims, they are (1) to oppose the sale of the freehold by the Vale, (2) to restore public access to the river-front, and (3) to ensure provision of some community facilities in the building.

Even at this late stage COG is determined to continue to press for its proposals to receive proper consideration. If you would like to support COG's aims, it would be worth raising thse issues with your Vale or Town Councillors.

Do visit COG's website www.oldgaol.org.cuk or email COG on oldgaol@btinternet.com

COG Slogs On!

Well things have certainly moved along in the past couple of weeks: good news and bad news!

The good news is that COG has now collected more than 4500 signatures people in the area for their petition. The aims of the petition are (1) oppose the selling of the freehold of the Old Gaol by the Vale District Council, (2) preserve free public access to the river-front and gardens, and (3) to secure community use of as much of the building as possible.

Now the bad news. The Vale Council has decided not to make known (including to COG) the names of the developers of the Old Gaol site who are now to proceed to the final stage of bidding (around November). Effectively this will shut COG out of any possibility of making any contribution to the outcome of the selection process until it is too late, and public opinion will have been stifled on this important community matter.

The reason given by the Vale is commercial confidentiality. COG does not agree that this is a reasonable position for the Vale to take. In comparable schemes (eg the Oxford Prison site) the bidders names were available from an early stage. The COG team in any case see themselves as a group well able to understand and work within conditions of commercial confidentiality.

But on a brighter note! On Friday 13 (yes!) July, the date the Vale agreed the short list of developers, COG arranged to present to the Vale their petition signatures to date (more than 4500). This was done in the morning, before the Vale meeting. It was a splendid event, reported on TV in the BBC News. Pupils from Thomas Reade School, Abingdon presented the petition sheets to Council officials in boxes made by themselves in the form of a model of the Old Gaol designed by Pat Bryden. See the photos.

At the Vale meeting, Alison Mummery (COG member) and Lesley Legge (COG member and Town Councillor) gave statements in support of COGs aims and emphasised the need for the local community to be involved at this critical stage of selecting developers.

COG will be continuing to press for inclusion in this process and urging even more people to sign their petition in support.

Soon we will know!

This is a message from Hester Hand (COG Secretary) to all who are interested in the future of the Old Gaol in Abingdon.

Here is an update on events since our April meeting

1 Sale process As you have probably seen in the papers it, eight developers submitted Stage 1 proposals for the Old Gaol site. Only one of them, Brook Henderson, has contacted COG: their proposal looks exciting, including many of the features we have been pressing for, but until we know more about the other proposals we will keep an open mind rather than committing our support to any one.
Council officers and an advisory group of 6 Councillors are now reviewing the proposals to check that they comply with the criteria in the sale brief. They will recommend a shortlist for approval by the Executive on 13 July. We understand that all of the proposals which meet the criteria will be shortlisted – so the number could be anything up to eight.

We made a formal request to the Vale Executive on 1 June asking to be consulted during the Stage 1 deliberations and for the names of the other bidders so that we can contact them to discuss how we might work together if they are shortlisted for Stage 2. So far the Vale have refused to release the names so we have now submitted a further request under the Freedom of Information Act and await their response. Although there is no provision for formal consultation at this stage, we are talking to some of the Councillors and urging them to give due weight to community benefit (as well as financial and other “hard” criteria) in reaching their decision.

2 Petition Despite the intervention of the weather to spoil a number of our publicity events the petition has gone very well – at the latest count we have 3500 signatures. We will have a final effort on it from now till 8 July (see below for how you can help) then hand it in to the Vale shortly before their meeting on 13 July – hopefully with some razzamatazz and good publicity. We need a good turnout for that so please try to come along – will let you know when and where.

3 Future developments for COG When we see the shortlisted proposals we will be talking to each of the bidders about how COG can work with them to ensure that their Stage 2 proposals reflect community concerns. To ensure that we have suitable status for such discussions and are in a position to move quickly in response to any opportunities that arise we have been advised to establish ourselves as a limited company. The cost is minimal so we will be doing this very shortly. We would be interested to hear from any COG members who have experience of setting up or running a small limited company or charitable trust and could help or advise us in the next phase.

4 What can you do to help?
*** Get more signatures on the petition*** (I can provide more sheets if you need them, but please return them to the address is on the sheet by Monday 9 July . We find that direct contact is the most successful – get out on a fine summer evening (if we ever get any!) and knock on some doors.)
*** Get on-line signatures*** (e-mail your contact lists (but only those living in Oxfordshire please) and include the link to http://www.oldgaol.org.uk/ If your work allows private use of their e-mail system that can be a good source.)
*** Let us know if you have business, legal or financial skills or experience which could help us***

This is an exciting time - we will let you have more news after 13 July.

Hester

More Old Gaol Memories

Our COG blog was very pleased to receive from Mike Clayden his wonderful recollections of the Old Gaol and its importance to the town centre as a place for local people to enjoy. Many thanks for this, Mike.

My name is Michael Clayden and between 1977 and 1980 my father Roy Clayden managed the Old Gaol leisure centre. He took over when we moved from Swindon as he had previously managed the Oasis leisure centre.

My memories of the Gaol are many but what I can say is being part of the Gaol changed my life. I was a devoted exponent of the martial arts and I mingled with the Chinese guys who ran the takeaway next door to learn more skills off of them. An employee of my father's was the giant sized kung fu and boxing expert, Big Dave Townsend.

Dave very kindly took me on as his student, and through him and the gaol life I met with martial artists from all over the UK and even the world! Some of the challenges I had there were from very tough guys I can tell you and the sparring matches were always held in secret, usually in the little theatre which was on the 1st floor. Glad my Dad didn't get to know about those!

I also got a chance to meet the legendary Paddy Monaghan of Abingdon. Paddy ran the boys boxing club at the gaol but what a lot of people didn't know was he was actually the middle weight bare knuckle boxing champ of Ireland and great Britain. Some of his and my story is recounted in the book "The Guv'nor-through the eyes of others".

Paddy was well known in the Gaol, mostly for his close friendship with Muhammad Ali, and they are still friends today.

Wasn't all punch ups though as there was respect all around and the friendly atmosphere of the Gaol attracted all kinds of people to it. I remember Dad telling me that one day he was in the art gallery section in the upper region of the gaol. One of the staff came up to him and pointed out that a gentleman in the gallery would like to meet him and pass on his comments about the Gaol. Dad introduced himself and the man replied in a soft welsh accent "hello my name's Anthony Hopkins", yes it was the Anthony( Hannibal Lector) Hopkins.
I have often wondered if the Gaol setting had any influence on the look of his "cell" in the film "Silence of the Lambs". We had many well known stars come to the gaol to perform.

I recall Pete Murray doing his radio show from there and Des o Connor also doing a show. One of the jobs I took care of my self was taking the tickets on the door of the little theater on cinema nights. Our projectionist was a lovely man called Gus but I think he was a tad deaf as patrons were always asking for the sound to be turned down. Films ranged from comedies like the Gene Wilder "Silver Streak" to dark thrillers like "Straw Dogs" , which I remember packed a full house on its four nightly showings.The funniest memory I have of the doing the door on the cinema nights was when I accepted a bet that while the underwater thriller " The Deep" was showing I would take the tickets dressed in swim goggles and flippers.

Of course I did it, much to great amusement from our patrons and a few shocked looks too. Often I would sit and talk with a gang of eighteen year olds who were regular users of the bar and the downstairs juke box. They were a great laugh and very much a part of the Gaol "family". Even now when ever I hear Ian Drury and the Blockheads belting out "hit me with your rhythm stick" or Tubeway army's "cars", I know where I heard it first, The Old gaol.

My Dad did his best to improve the Gaol but things were just not working out although he did make many friends there. He went on to run a pub in Childrey near Wantage for many years and was very much involved with the MG car racing circuit. Dad sadly died of cancer in January 2007 at the age of 72. before he passed on he had a chance to speak to several people who worked with him at the gaol including Big Dave Townsend who still keeps in touch with me now.

I do hope that the Gaol; will be given a new lease of life to the general public and the townspeople who hold a special place in their hearts for it. I know my Dad had often mentioned that he hoped that the Gaol would be saved too.

I include a photo of my late father and past manager of the Gaol and of a recent reunion I had with Big Dave taken outside the Gaol walls naturally.