COMMUNITY Hall Trust campaigners have been given a final deadline to object to the sale of town s St Andrew s Church Hall. People living in Soham have until November 22 to send written objections to the sale of the hall to Godmanchester-based developers

COMMUNITY Hall Trust campaigners have been given a final deadline to object to the sale of town's St Andrew's Church Hall.

People living in Soham have until November 22 to send written objections to the sale of the hall to Godmanchester-based developers Amber Homes.

Vicar of St Andrew's, the Rev Tim Alban Jones has been locked in a battle with campaigners over the future of the hall.

Campaigner Tim Webb said: "The people of Soham object to this sale. We want the land as a car park but the vicar has the final say on this. He comes across as more of a businessman than a vicar."

To date, the campaign has been promised £20,000 in donations to buy the land, but this falls far short of the sum offered by the development company, rumoured by campaigners to be in the region of £500,000.

"The Charity Commission has been of no help at all and we have less than one month to stop this happening," said Mr Webb.

Campaign publicity officer Liz Jugg said she wanted the petition of 2,500 signatures, submitted in February, to be taken into account.

"We spent hours standing out there in appalling weather and lots of people turned out to support us. The vicar has just disregarded it."

Rev Alban Jones said: "This is a notification, not a consultation. We are doing what we are obliged to do by law."

The Community Hall Trust members are coordinating a letter writing campaign.

Letters can be picked up from Poppies on Churchgate Street.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Let us know what you think about the plans to sell the church hall. Should the campaigners give up?

Write to: The Ely Standard, 38 Market Street, Ely, Cambs, CB7 4LS or email the editor at: editor@ely-standard.co.uk