Aren't people looking at the his the wrong way ?
As far as I am aware the decision by SBC isn't to close anything - it is a commercial decision not to renew a lease ! The "farm" is a private business that I believe has been enjoying a really low rent for years.
I'd say the decision not to renew is the right one - why should my council tax pay for this facility - that a private business profits from - if they let everone from swindon in for free then perhaps that would be different - but they don't!
How about lower shaw farm posting copies of the last 10 years of their accounts for public scrutiny on this site so we can see how their money is spent - do they still charge £90 a night for basket weaving ?
There is nothing that is done at this site which couldn't be done elsewhere in swindon - perhaps even by the same people who run this place.
They are a business - every business that leases its premises has to be realistic that at some stage the landlord may not wish to renew - the same happens as a private tenant - didn't they have a contigency plan ?
Why don't they buy the site from the council at market rate ? It is obviously such a successful business I have no doubt they could easily borrow the money from a bank - with all their thousands of happy customers. Borrowing money is really easy - you put a business plan together approach a bank - and if everything is fine - you get the money - that is what businesses do every day - why should this lot be any different ?
why don't they ask 2000 of their customers (of whiich there must be that many from swindon alone !) to put up £1250 each to buy their own piece of paradise ! ? - obviously as an investment it would be a really bad one because the business that occupies the site doesn't want to pay a market rent for the property - but hey - I guess they could write off the investment against tax !
I get fed up with all these organisations that think just because they do something they perceive to be a little bit different or vaguely green or protective or whatever - that I should pay for them through my council tax !
Well I don't want to pay - I have had enough of paying - all these years - rises of almost 50% in three years under the labour administration - this lot have done a damned sight better - and if they think it isn't a clever idea to have assets being abused by sodding hippies then good on them !
I look forward one day when the tories have sorted out this council that perhaps my council tax could go down rather than up ! and it will be because they are making sensible decsions not to subsidise private businesses !
what next - do we let B&Q rent their site at barnfield for £50k per year or let them buy it for £14 million - as the americans are known to say "do the Math"
I say wake up and look at the real picture, or carry on and try to persuade all the tax paying residents of swindon that subsidising private businesses is a really good idea and that no one cares about people on fixed incomes having to pay higher council tax because of misguided nonsense such as this.
Sometime I really do wonder about vocal minorities !
