A RESIDENTS group has 'not given up' hope of saving Formby Hall and is writing to the new secretary of state to appeal the decision.

Representatives from the Atherton Residents Association, hope that the community venue will be saved and that funding will be given to restore the hall to its former glory in the hands of its community run group.

Campaigners were ‘caught off-guard’ following the opening into the public inquiry in July where they thought they would be able to put forward their case after more than 5,000 people signed a petition to save the hall.

However it was revealed at the opening of the inquiry that it was not within the council’s planning committee remit to decide whether the hall should or should not be demolished and it was instead looking into methods of demolition.

Stuart Gerrard, chairman of the group, said; “We have still not given up, obviously we have to understand that it can go the way of it being allowed to be demolished “If this is the case I would urge the council to uphold its own core strategy and replace the Hall with something of a similar size or better.

“We are still writing to the new secretary of state in the hope he will look a bit closer into how the hall was sold and what it means to the community, but all we can do now is put pressure on the council and councillors and make sure we tell them we need a civic venue in our town.

“It is a point principles and morality.”