Plymouth Register Office to stay where it is after council U-turn
THE Register Office in Plymouth is to remain on the Hoe for now after a council U-turn on a planned move to Central Park.
The Labour administration has cancelled a Conservative proposal to move the Register Office to Pounds House in the park and sell off the building on Lockyer street.
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Plymouth Register Office to stay where it is after council U-turn
The previous Conservative administration had argued that the move, which also included relocating the Coroner’s Office from The Crescent, would save £1million in the long term.
Cllr Peter Smith, the deputy leader of the council, said: “There were problems with Pounds House because there was no access for limousines through the narrow entrance.
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“We were also concerned about losing trade for hoteliers on the Hoe.”
The proposal to move the Register Office from its existing location in Lockyer Street to Pounds House was put forward as part of the second phase of the council’s accommodation strategy and was approved by Cabinet in March and Council in June 2011.
Roy Martin, chairman of the Plymouth Hospitality Association and owner of the Invicta Hotel, welcomed the news.
“The hospitality association has been lobbying for the past two years to keep it there and it’s excellent news that the council has seen sense. It’s marvellous.”
He said a survey of hotels, guest houses, pubs and restaurants in the area showed that the Register Office brought close to £2million a year to the hospitality trade on the Hoe.
“The Conservative administration put it on the back burner,” Mr Martin said. “When Labour came into power I had one or two conversations with Tudor Evans, the council leader.
“It’s nice to see Labour supporting the hospitality trade.”
Before the move was cancelled the GMB union looked at the Lockyer Street building with a view to making its new city headquarters there.
Cllr Smith said: “The GMB was interested but we have told them that we are not selling.
“We are trying to help them in looking for premises elsewhere.”
Cllr Smith said there were moves to get wedding licences for other premises in the city.
Pounds House is currently being used by educational groups.
3 Comments
by GAWker
Thursday, February 07 2013, 11:14AM
“How long would it take to take a mug or two of warm, soapy water and some paper towels and wipe that sign?
Perhaps we could get some of the people working as part of their sentences for crimes to go round wiping the dirt and lichen from signs around Plymouth?”
by pogle63a
Thursday, February 07 2013, 9:17AM
“At last a SENSIBLE decision on something that was completely stupid. The Pounds House option was also ludicrous because it would be severely effected by the traffic attending Football matches at Argyle making it almost impossible to plan proper arrival and departure times for wedding services. As already stated the enterance is too Narrow for most wedding cars to get in and out of. The Current location on the Hoe also gives users close access to local hotels and the Hoe. The Registry Office is in `my opinion` in the best possible place in the heart of Plymouth next to the HOE, with Smeatons Tower, the international icon for Plymouth.
The current location makes it easy to reach from almost anywhere in Plymouth even when traffic problems force detours it is also easy to circle around if you arrive too early.
I am really pleased to see that someone in the Council has listened to common sense and made the right decision for once.
Tudor Evans for once gets my vote - keep this up and I might even vote for you next election.”
by JonnyGlenholt
Thursday, February 07 2013, 8:52AM
“This is a really sensible decision that supports business. Good to see the Council reversing some of the idiotic decisions of the Tories.”