The cost of maintaining the Landgate Tower is too much for Rye Town Council to take on said councillors during their meeting on Monday 8 December.
The listed building is one of a number of assets that Rother District Council is suggesting could be transferred to Rye, along with the cemetery and open spaces including the Salts.
The district council and East Sussex County Council are both being replaced by a new unitary authority, although a confirmed date and structure is still uncertain.
A full list of what is on offer was debated at the meeting with councillors noting that none of the assets provided an income for Rye. “We need a car park as that’s where the revenue is,” said Councillor Rivett. “We are being pushed into a ridiculous timeframe by Rother.”
Rye had until this Friday 12 December to express an interest in taking on Landgate Tower, Rye cemetery, Station Approach toilets, Cricket Salts (excluding Bedford Place toilets), the Fair and Town Salts (not including the car park and conveniences at Lucknow Place), Mason’s Field and the Kings Avenue play area.
Councillors voted to explore how Rye could take ownership of all the assets on Rother’s list, with the exception of Landgate Tower. “It is one of Rye’s iconic landmarks but it has been neglected by Rother for years,” said Councillor Fiddimore. “Somebody has to look after it, but we can’t.”
“The public told us they wanted us to take on the toilets and green spaces,” said Councillor Hughes, referring to a recent survey. “I don’t think anyone mentioned the Landgate. We just don’t have the ability to generate the funds it needs.”
“Rother have done nothing with it for years,” said Councillor Rivett. “We cannot afford it and there is no funding available – we’ve looked. Strike it off the list!”
At the meeting, Rye Town Council also requested the access road to the Cricket Salts should be added to the asset register for potential transfer.
Councillors heard how Rye Chamber of Commerce and the council’s working group were bidding for funding for a feasibility study into refurbishing or replacing the Station Approach public toilets.
Image Credits: Chris Lawson .
On the Station Approach Toilets, it’s important to clarify the working group is not a Rye Town Council group, it is a group of local stakeholders including some Rye Town Cllrs and officer, Chamber of Commerce members and Rother Cllrs including me.
There is a complication in respect of the Station Approach lavatories in that the freehold is owned by Network Rail.
On Local Government Restructuring there is a consultation running until 11 January 2026. Something to do over Christmas and New Year 🙂
https://www.rother.gov.uk/devolution-and-local-government-reorganisation/
It a pity that Rye Town Council can’t at least have one car park to generate income , then we can afford decently funded toilets , and may be even able to look after the Landgate Tower properly ,sadly neglected by Rother .
Regarding the upkeep of The Landgate what happens if a new successor council to Rother decides this is no longer a priority and as a result vehicular access to The High Street is stopped. I would have thought that it is a lack of imagination that says the town council should not take control of key assets like The Landgate. Rather like the original decision on Christmas lights.
The LANDGATE could pay for itself if properly maintained and used properly as a tourist attraction site.
It is inconceivable that it should be allowed to crumble!
Isn’t the upkeep of the Landgate a good example of what the local tourist tax announced in the last budget could be used to finance?
Interesting that our two elected Rother District councillors have said very little regarding the Landgate tower,or the council acquiring the car parks that Rother are reluctant to give us,to pay for the loss making assets that they are eager to give away, one hopes they are not kowtowing to the whims of a District Council that have ignored this town over the years, for Bexhill, and as the majority of people in Rye say Good Riddance to this biased District Council.
Words count John but so do deeds, even more in my book. Let’s wait and see what the outcome is, many of us are working to secure what this town needs. In response to your reference elsewhere about wildflowers for the Salts, the project is as much about making sure its useable again for the town as it is about benefitting the environment, the two aren’t always mutually exclusive, which is why the Pirate and Smugglers day will now be held on it next year.
I certainly hope when Rye town council take the salts areas over soon,the old town salts can revert back too what it always was, a well used recreational source, which could be a steady income for Rye town council, this town is in the heart of the countryside, and we have enough wild meadows around us,including also our river banks,and the railway green lung, that runs right through this town.