A VERY SAD EVENT

Written by Councillor Monroe Palmer and published in Hendon Times on Sun 2nd Mar 2008

What a sad week for Finchley and the surrounding area.

The news that Finchley Arts Centre Trust (FACT), which ran The Bothy in Avenue House grounds, is to be wound up will dismay the many people who have marvelled at the transformation of The Bothy garden from a wilderness, and transformation of the very dilapidated building to a stylish renovation.

Many of us enjoyed the dramatic and musical productions in the garden. They were varied and were loved by young and old alike.

Why has FACT gone out of business? Their public statement this week says, "It is clear there is no realistic prospect of reaching any agreement with the Board of Avenue House Estate Trust on the future operation of The Bothy, we have no option but to wind up the company."

FACT were told to vacate The Bothy over a year ago by solicitors acting for AHET.

A year has not enabled any compromise solution to be reached.

Barnet Council, the Freeholder said it had no powers to act with regard to the actions of its leaseholder, AHET.

I will not go into the history of this dispute other than to say that it should not have happened resulting in one local charity evicting another very worthy local charity.

FACT members and supporters must be proud of restoring the Bothy garden and using it for seven annual seasons of enjoyable and professional dramatic and musical productions. Finchley will be a poorer place by the cessation of these productions, as it has been since the summer of 2006.

The Bothy building, which I visited on many occasions, was imaginatively restored and adapted as a centre for the arts. Members and supporters of FACT can be proud of the building they have restored and improved. It seems most unjust that those that performed this transformation are now out in the cold.

What do other people think?