I am concerned that some mis-information has been put about reference the move of the County Archives in summer 2016 to the site near Ely Station currently occupied by Strikes.

About a year ago Cambridgeshire County Council were alerted by agents acting for the bowling alley owners that the site could be available on a very long (over 250 years) lease.

The county council was keen to move it’s priceless archive collection to somewhere safe, secure and a location which could be easily accessible to as many people as possible from all over the county. There is an increasing interest in family trees and the like and as a local councillor I am delighted to support what will eventually become a centre for about 50 full time, prestigious and permanent jobs.

Ely Station is the rail hub of East Anglia so where better to have a facility that is within about 300 yards of an ever expanding railway hub?

The more we can make Ely special the better. Locating the archives in Ely will add to our city’s appeal and bring people and income to our local businesses.

Officers and councillors at the county council can only speculate as to why the facility was offered on the market and that is quite rightly a matter for the current owners only.

I for one would be delighted to hear that Strikes were planning to open up at another location in the area and of course I would wish them every success in any new venture. The owners of Strikes were willing sellers and at no time has anybody connected with the county council pushed for Strikes to move.

The plan to spend in the region of £3 to £4 million making the building fit to house the archives and of course the new facility will meet and even exceed the government’s high archive standards.

I will be delighted to welcome this new attraction to Ely. This is a ounty facility and not everything has to be located within the small confines of our world leading University City.

In addition to all the obvious benefits, the public may well end up with a safer pedestrian route from Angel Drove Car Park to the railway station.

BILL HUNT

County Councillor for Haddenham