Supermarket giant Tesco backs down over sale of Savoy Square gardens

Kirklees Council last week issued a public notice raising fears over the future of Savoy Square, opposite Cleckheaton Town Hall.

The square in Bradford Road is owned by Tesco and the council and Tesco said it wanted to sell.

Savoy Square is a prominent site which hosts annual events such as Christmas lights switch-on ceremonies and Cleckheaton Folk Festival.

Tesco, which originally bought the land when it was looking to build a new store in the town, had informed the council of its intention to sell, sparking concern in the local community.

But now, after an enquiry from the Spenborough Guardian, Tesco has pledged gift the land to the council.

A spokesman for the store said: “We have owned the land at Savoy Square, Cleckheaton, for many years and have now decided to gift ownership of it to Kirklees Council so it can be a valuable asset to the local community.”

The site is already listed by the council as an “asset of community value.”

Last week the council published a notice saying that community interest groups would have first refusal on buying the land from Tesco but the deadline was January 11.

A deal had to be completed by May 31 or the land would be sold elsewhere.

The site once housed the Savoy Cinema, dating back to the 1920s. The cinema was demolished in the 1980s and the site stood derelict for many years.

Volunteers from Spen Valley Civic Society took on the site and transformed it with a cinematic theme. It opened in 2003.

The society succeeded in having it designated as an “asset of community value” in 2015. It has also been protected as Local Green Space in the council’s latest Local Plan, a 20-year planning blueprint.

Society secretary Mrs Erica Amende said: “The news that Tesco is to gift their part of Savoy Square is fantastic. We want to ensure that local people benefit from this lovely outdoor space for many years to come.

“Many thanks to Tesco for a super Christmas present to Cleckheaton!”