CRUMBRIA: 28/02/2026
WITH The Forum in Barrow now shut down by the Council and comedy nights possibly moving across the road to their rightful home in Barrow Town Hall, an awkward question has arisen.
What’s happening to all the money Wokemoreland & Farcical Council is SAVING from the closure of the entertainment venue in Duke Street, which is lined up for the bulldozers?
That was the ‘bouncer’ bowled to the Liberal Democrat dictatorship on Thursday by local Tory councillor, Ben Shirley, at the Council’s budget-setting meeting in Kendal.
Cllr Shirley told the meeting that the Council will be sitting on a half-a-million pound saving in Barrow, and wanted a guarantee that cash will come BACK to Furness instead of disappearing into the general kitty.
By handing it back, explained Cllr Shirley pointedly, the Council could: “Demonstrate its commitment to ensuring that all young people in Furness can access arts, theatre and cultural provision in and around Barrow?”
Spies say the response from Lib Dem cabinet member, Cllr Helen Chaffey, did not immediately inspire confidence. Momentarily focused elsewhere, she asked for the question again.
Finding her place, Cllr Chaffey told Cllr Shirley that any decision on the cash coming back to Barrow would be subject to the deliberations of a meeting of the Liberal Democrat Cabinet.
Cllr Chaffey confirmed: “It is fair to say that we are aiming to deliver those savings. However, until the Cabinet has taken a formal decision at its meeting, we are not in a position to confirm how those savings will ultimately be allocated.”
Cllr Shirley and friends will be watching that meeting like hawks.
Barrow and Furness has no representative on the decision-making Cabinet because all its members are Liberal Democrats elected to represent the Kendal area, the Lake District, Penrith, Kirkby Stephen, etc.
It’s another democratic deficit of Local Government Disorganisation here, which did away with Barrow Borough Council.
The Cabinet meeting on 17th March is, however, superbly scheduled to take place in Barrow Town Hall.
Given some of its recent actions, particularly the Market Hall, the Council hierarchy may not be greeted by adoring fans, although having some good financial news to share might protect it against the pointiest of pitchforks.
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The Council made its full risk assessment of the Market Hall available (below). Follow the link to read Cllr Chaffey’s statement too.
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