Councillors today were met with angry calls from campaigners in the public gallery as they voted to reject recommendations to accept Horncastle Town Hall Working Group's business plan, instead choosing to flatten the former drill hall and to seek a development opportunity.


For more than two-and-a-half hours, the executive board heard representations from Coun Sandra Campbell-Wardman and campaigner Coun Bill Aron, and Anthony Barber from Focus Consultants.


But whether the working group would sustain funding and if community groups would return to use the building again were among the main concerns from councillors on East Lindsey District Council's executive board.


"If enthusiasm, energy and good wishes were taken into consideration this project would be a roaring success," said Coun Brian Burnett.


"The will is there to do it but unfortunately we have before us a business plan that is not robust."


Coun Neil Cooper added: "We are guardians of the public purse and there is no clear demonstration to me to actually support the continuation of this building."


The hall was closed on January 31 this year after it became 'surplus' to ELDC's requirements.


The Horncastle Town Hall Working Group had been given until last month to produce the business plan.


The plan was given the backing of the Horncastle Steering Group – set up to consider the future options for the improvement of key services and community facilities in the town – despite acknowledged shortcomings in an independent evaluation report by Focus Consultants.


Speaking after the meeting, campaign leader and town and county councillor Bill Aron said: "I am very disappointed in the executive board. I am very pleased with the support from district councillors and we will obviously regroup."


Coun Aron said the group will now be speaking to district councillors to see if there are grounds to 'call-in' the decision.


Further to today's decision, a report on Horncastle Town Hall will be considered at the next meeting of the executive board on September 1.


* What do you think of the decision to knock down the town hall? Email sean.topham@jpress.co.uk or write to the Editor, Horncastle News, Church Lane, Horncastle LN9 5HW.