It was announced in February the Crouch End site had been sold to a Cayman Islands-registered conglomerate, reports Grace Howarth, Local Democracy Reporter

Haringey Council has moved to try and reassure residents that the “cultural and community use” of Hornsey Town Hall will be restored following the site’s shock sale.

The sale in February, to financial conglomerate AMTD IDEA Group, sparked concern among local residents who have been waiting for the return of the town hall and the delivery of an arts centre for several years.

The listed building and land behind it was first sold to Far East Consortium (FEC) in 2017 in a deal which promised restoration work to the town hall, a new hotel, housing and a community arts centre. 

Last year, the town hall was removed from Historic England’s at-risk register of buildings and the hotel and housing was delivered. 

However, locals were shocked this year when it was announced the Crouch End site had been sold to the Cayman Islands-registered conglomerate and many felt in the dark about the arts centre. 

Liberal Democrats group leader Luke Cawley-Harrison said: “After years of delays, the fact the town hall is still yet to open is a great frustration and disappointment for local people. 

“Residents were angry at the council’s original sale of the building to a private company, and the ongoing secrecy around plans for what it will look like when it reopens has not helped instill goodwill. 

“The more recent sale from one overseas investor to another – which the council failed to even realise was happening – has done nothing to improve public relations.”

Council leader Peray Ahemt said she wanted to the ensure original commitments made in 2017 were kept and added a “productive meeting” was held between FEC and community groups in April. 

Cllr Ahmet said: “We have met with the directors of FEC to guarantee that their arrangement will deliver on the objectives that were set out for the long-term future of Hornsey Town Hall.

“FEC has entered into a new agreement with General Projects and AndLondon. All three held a productive meeting with community groups in April to progress the obligations FEC has under the planning and development agreement. 

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

Cllr Cawley-Harrison did express hope the sale would be a “fresh start” and an opportunity to “reset in relations” as well as a potentially “positive move forwards to an opening in due course”.

He said the new owners would learn what the local community had had to “put up with in recent years” and hoped this would incentivise them to “mend some bridges”. 

Cllr Cawley-Harrison said: “What we all want now is for the public to be able to finally access and make use of this wonderful building once again.”

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