Bury’s civic leaders are asking the public to join them in appealing to the Government to save the town’s historic Castle Armoury.
Leaders of all political parties in Bury are writing to the Secretary of State for Defence asking him to provide the funding necessary to repair and maintain the iconic building, which closed suddenly in July for safety reasons.
Now residents are being invited to sign the letter too, by the deadline of 5 September – go to the One Community website here: Castle Armoury – Letter to MoD | One Community (onecommunitybury.co.uk). The letter will then be sent to the Secretary of State.
The letter says that “Castle Armoury is an important part of the current identity and history of Bury. It is an iconic building in the centre of a town with a proud military heritage which is owned by the Bury Castle Armoury Trust and leased to NW RFCA.
“Through this formal agreement the armoury is home to Bury Fusiliers, known as W Company 5th Battalion of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, as well as a centre for 207 Field Hospital Royal Army Medical Corp. The armoury is also home to The Lancashire Royal Regiment of Fusiliers volunteer Band, the base for our Army cadets, RAF cadets, a community Karate group, and one of the borough’s Armed Forces veterans breakfast clubs.
Bury Council passed an emergency motion back in July,unanimously to urge the Ministry of Defence to provide the necessary funds to make Castle Armoury safe again and to modernise it, in accordance with the leaseholder agreement.
The letter adds:
“The Council are working with its voluntary and community sector, the Armed Forces Champion and the Chair of Bury Castle Armoury Trust to look at what external funding may be available. This does not however excuse the Ministry of Defence from its obligations in the lease of full responsibility for repairs and maintenance.
