The long-running legal battle over the future of Ealing’s Victoria Hall has suffered yet another setback, after a court hearing due to take place next week was cancelled at short notice.
The hearing, scheduled for 6 May 2025, was set to consider an appeal brought by two Ealing residents on behalf of the Friends of the Victoria Hall. They are challenging a decision by the Charity Commission allowing Ealing Council to sell the community-owned venue as part of a wider redevelopment deal.
Roger Green, chair of the Friends group said: “This appeal was first lodged four years ago and next week’s hearing was scheduled back in January. Charles Dickens himself couldn’t have imagined how long this has dragged on.”
The cancellation came after a judge reviewed the case papers and said that an oral hearing was unnecessary. Instead, the decision on whether the appeal should be struck out – a move backed by both the Council and the Charity Commission – will now be made solely on written submissions.
Mr Green added: “It’s in no-one’s interest for this to drag on. Ealing Council’s sell-off deal should not be allowed to stand. Despite the Charity Commission’s strike-out chicanery, we’re confident that if there’s any justice, our carefully-crafted legal argument should prevail.”
At the heart of the dispute is Victoria Hall’s unique history. Built in 1893 with money from public donations and managed by a charitable trust, the venue has long served as a civic space for events including family celebrations, exhibitions and meetings.
The Council included the hall in a 250-year lease deal with developers Mastcraft aiming to convert the adjacent Town Hall into a luxury hotel and wellness centre. Campaigners argue that the hall, as a charitable asset, was never the Council’s to sell.
The Friends group has raised over £125,000 to fund its legal battle and insists that the hall must remain a fully accessible, affordable space for the community.
