Fight to save Grantham’s old hospital steps up

THE fight to save an iconic Grantham building from the bulldozers has stepped up

United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust wants to demolish the disused original Grantham Hospital building, built on land donated by Lord Brownlow in1874, and replace it with a car park.

At one stage there were plans to turn it into a hospital museum.

Trust spokesman Ian Hayden said the building was beyond repair.

He said: “With a building of that age eventually you have to make a decision what is the best thing to do with it and what you can afford to do with it and what is the best use of the funding resources.

“It needs total rewiring, a new fire alarm system, a new hot water boiler, new cold water system, the floors have rotted through and the roof would need taking off completely and replacing.”

But representative for Grantham North  Ray Wootten says wants the building restored instead of being demolished and replaced by a car park.

He said: “I think this has been a deliberate ploy to leave it to wrack and ruin so that they can eventually come and say ‘it is not fit for purpose’. I think they ultimately want to knock it down.”

Mr Wootten has since received emails and verbal support for a petition.

He said: “I have a meeting with the ULHT representative at the end of  September and on the 7th October I will be attending the AGM of the Trust at Boston.

“I will be putting questions to the board to see exactly what their plans are and will make a decision regarding a petition once I have the full facts.”