Community centre charity fears blocked off road in St Austell threatens its existence

A COMMUNITY centre charity that welcomes blind and disabled people says its very existence could be threatened by a temporary barrier put in place as part of the major traffic diversion in St Austell town centre.

The diversion has been created while urgent recladding work takes place on flats at White River Place, with the scheme expected to last for up to two years.

Trinity Street has been made one-way as part of the traffic management involved in this scheme and the top of West Hill has been closed off with a barrier at its junction with the street.

The trustees who run Sembal House Community Centre on West Hill have been pushing for the barrier to be removed. They say it is leading to unnecessary difficulties and hazards when motorists drop off clients at the centre near the top of the hill.

The contractors for the recladding project, Classic Builders, are responsible for the traffic management measures and the trustees say a representative from the firm has told them the barrier will not be removed.

Alex Rybialek, a trustee of the society which runs the community centre, said: “The barrier could cause the closure of Sembal House Community Centre and the end of St Austell Old People's Welfare Society.

“Attendance is down for our own people and the groups who hire Sembal House. Apart from our regulars, including the groups, we also hire out the hall to other organisations and societies on an occasional basis. These include charities, political parties, the NHS and even Cornwall Council, but I doubt we will see them again now that the road is blocked.

“We are a small local charity and rely on the income from hiring out our hall to pay the bills, this is now going to be a problem. That barrier could be the end of us.”