Demolition notice: Thanksgiving Hall

Thanksgiving Hall, due to be demolished.

Thanksgiving Hall, the small building on the right, to be demolished

Among the planning applications recently submitted is this one:

16/01294/DMNOT | Prior notification of demolition of building known as thanksgiving hall within curtilage of Southlands Methodist Church | Southlands Methodist Chapel Hall Bishopthorpe Road York YO23 1NX

According to the application form description, this hall alongside  Southlands Methodist Church was built in 1920.

I thought I had a photo somewhere, but can’t find it, so the Google Street View image above will have to do for now. Here’s the link to the location on Google Street View.

The application form states that demolition needs to take place because ‘the building is in poor condition and the costs of remedial work needed outweigh the benefit of retention.’ And that ‘a community garden will replace the hall. The Thanksgiving Hall stone within the existing building will be carefully removed, restored and retained within the new garden.’

A garden sounds nice, but it’s a shame to lose this rather attractive building. It was also apparently once known as the Southlands Institute, according to records at the Borthwick Institute (PDF). I found one reference from a late 1920s publication (London & North Eastern Railway Magazine) to the York Choir giving a concert here ‘assisted by several well-known local vocalists’.

Any memories of events here, or thoughts on the proposed demolition? Please add a comment. You can read the relevant documents on this link.

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About Lisa @YorkStories

Lisa @YorkStories is the creator, administrator, and writer of content on www.yorkstories.co.uk. She can be contacted on this link or via Twitter, @YorkStories
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One comment

  1. As a child I attended a Richard III Soc day here,,various lectures on aspects of middle ages, stained glass I particularly remember..doesnt look in particularly bad repair in photo if it is shame on the Methodist Church for running it down.

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