Decision to be made on former Haywards Heath theatre
Clair Hall has been closed since 2020.
The future of a former Haywards Heath theatre and community hall has reached a major milestone.
During a cabinet meeting on Monday (February 2), Mid Sussex District Council will decide whether or not to accept a Community Interest Company (CIC) bid for Clair Hall.
The venue has been under scrutiny since the council decided to close it in 2020. It is not in the best condition, with consultants telling the council that it will take £2.2m over the next five years to bring it up to scratch.
In March 2025, the cabinet supported a scheme which would see the venue demolished and replaced with a three-screen cinema, including a stage for live performances and a food & drink outlet.
But in November, it was listed as an Asset of Community Value, meaning the council had to give community interest groups the opportunity to place a bid.
The Haywards Heath Community CIC did just that, aiming to use it as a multi-use civic and cultural hub, backed by a £770,000 ‘gift from a local benefactor’.
The CIC proposed two options – buying the venue outright or leasing it from the council.
A statement included in the bid said: “Clair Hall has for decades provided a central and irreplaceable venue for arts, culture, performance, civic events, community gatherings, and public services."
“Our intention is to secure its future as a sustainable, community owned and community operated facility, ensuring it remains accessible and beneficial to all residents.”
The property has been valued between £1m and £4m, depending on what decision is made – such as being sold for housing or being sold for redevelopment as a care home.
So would the £770,000 from the CIC bid be seen as good business for the council?
A report to the cabinet said: “The business model for the leasehold offer has insufficient evidence of viability. The freehold offer does not provide best consideration reasonably obtainable in the market."
“As such, if cabinet was minded to accept the CIC’s bid for the freehold, the matter should be referred to the Secretary of State, as the council would be selling a community asset at less than market value, even allowing for the £2m variation allowed for under the legislation.”
The meeting will be held in the council chamber, at Oaklands, in Oaklands Road, Haywards Heath, from 1pm. Members of the public are welcome to attend.