Concerns are growing that key promises made over the Crouch End landmark will now be broken, reports Grace Howarth, Local Democracy Reporter

Hornsey Town Hall has been sold to a Cayman Islands-based financial conglomerate in a surprise move – raising concerns over its future.

The ongoing redevelopment of the Art Deco landmark in Crouch End features a 68-room hotel as well as 146 private residential flats within its grounds.

In the original deal with Haringey Council, which sold the town hall lease to Far East Consortium (FEC) in 2017, restoration works to the hall, an arts centre and other community facilities were agreed, but these have yet to be delivered.

In the surprise announcement this week, it was revealed FEC had agreed the sale of the Grade 2*-listed building and grounds to financial conglomerate AMTD IDEA Group.

The sale took place without engagement with the local community and concerns over how much of the site will stay in public use have now been raised, in particular whether the long-awaited arts centre will still be delivered.

FEC called the move a “strategic partnership” and said AMTD would help “raise the town hall’s profile” and “work closely” with FEC “to ensure that the arts centre and other community uses are brought forward”.

Council leader Peray Ahmet took a positive view on the sale, welcoming the town hall’s recent removal from the English Heritage at-risk register, following FEC’s refurbishment work, as well as the eleven new council homes, completed as part of the original deal.

However, the Liberal Democrat group has taken a more sceptical view and criticised the Labour-run council for being “unaware of the sale”.

FEC sold the building for £47million, comprising £22.6m for the hotel and £24.5 for the town hall.

Opposition Lib Dem group leader Luke Cawley-Harrison called it a “huge embarrassment” for the council, which made £3.5m from the sale to FEC back in 2017.

He said: “FEC have cashed in mightily on what was a prized public asset, and so far the residents of Haringey have nothing to show for it.

“It is deeply concerning that FEC have seemingly completed this sale without any awareness from Haringey Council and the Labour leadership.”

Cllr Cawley-Harrison demanded FEC “explain themselves”, describing a “history of poor communication and total lack of engagement with the community during the development”.

He also called on the council to explain why the sale “appears to have happened without their knowledge” and to “hold the new owners to account”, particularly over the community and arts centre.

Cllr Ahmet has said the council would be meeting “urgently” with both partners to discuss the new arrangement and the future of the arts centre.

The Labour council leader did not express surprise over the sale but said she wanted assurances that the original objectives set out “will now be delivered” and shared residents’ frustrations over the art centre’s lack of delivery to date, saying it “has taken far too long”.

Cllr Ahmet said: “We are now working to ensure the community use and access agreement is adhered to.

“We will be meeting with both partners urgently to discuss their new arrangement and to press them for a more definitive and deliverable timeline and to share their vision for the future of the arts centre.

“Our position remains that whoever controls the site will be expected to live up to the commitments made to the community to restore cultural and community use to the town hall.”

An FEC spokesperson said: “AMTD plans to support the London Borough of Haringey [council] to unlock further opportunities and enable cultural diversities and creativities as it moves towards its Borough of Culture status in 2027.

“AMTD will work closely with FEC and other existing partners and new partners to ensure that the arts centre and other community uses are brought forward.”

Stephen Gardiner, secretary of Hornsey Town Hall Residents’ Association (HTHRA) and speaking on behalf of the group, said: “Two days after the sale was announced to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, the landlords informed leaseholders and residents of the sale.

“The association officers are still absorbing the news and what it will mean for its members as leaseholders and tenants. We are formally requesting a meeting with FEC to try to get clarity.

“We note that the sale is contingent on approval by Haringey Council and we understand that this can only follow FEC’s completion of the town hall and public areas, something it has not yet achieved.”

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