DORSET COUNTY Council has insisted that Bridport’s historic Literary & Scientific Institute could still house a new centre devoted to the history of West Dorset’s rope and net making industry.

But campaigners hoping to secure the future of the Grade II* Listed building in East Street have been advised by the County Council that – at the start of September – they must be able to show the High Court that they are “properly funded” to meet their ambitions.

The Bridport Area Development Trust wants more time to stop the Institute being put up for sale, but Dorset County Council’s response to a story published on Real West Dorset two days ago suggests that time is running out.        

Here it is: “Dorset County Council does not own this building. It is the trustee of the Bridport Literary and Scientific Institution that holds a 999-year lease granted in 1864 by Sir Howard Warburton Elphinstone.

“The legal proceedings were required so that the county council knows what its duties are in relation to the building.

“One of the questions was whether the building had reverted to the owners of the freehold.

“At a hearing in January the descendants of Sir Howard informed the Court that he would not pursue his claim. The case was then adjourned for about six months to give the Bridport Area Development Trust (BADT) time to put itself into a position where the Court could, if it thought fit, make an order vesting the building in the BADT.

“The High Court, not Dorset County Council, will therefore consider the latest proposals and decide whether the building is to be transferred to BADT or sold on the open market.

“The county council is an interested party because, as trustee, it has an on-going responsibility for the building and associated costs. However, the building will require major renovation before it can be brought back into public use. Funding for that work has not yet been identified.

“We have been working with BADT and will continue to do so in the hope that the building can be transferred to the new Trust.

“A sale on the open market would be averted if BADT can convince the Court that it is properly funded to hold the building for its purposes.”

Bridport town councillor Charles Wild, who has been acting for the Development Trust, today (Friday) met West Dorset MP Oliver Letwin to discuss these issues.

Mr Wild said: ”I had a useful meeting with Oliver Letwin: he is very supportive of the Development Trust’s proposals for the building, and agrees with our proposed course of action.

“As things stand the Development Trust is not a party in the High Court case, and we have been instructed that we have to make any representations to the Court through the County Council.

“Next week we will be issuing a detailed witness statement which we will ask to be read out to the Master before he makes his ruling on 1 September, together with supporting material which will include the project proposal for the building and expressions of support we have received.”