BUDE-Stratton Town Council’s controversial decision to rename the Ivor Potter Hall in the Parkhouse Centre, has caused outrage among many of Bude’s local residents.

A Facebook group has been set up following the Post’s report last week, which exposed the town council’s decision to change the name of the hall during its full council meeting on Thursday, June 6.

The Facebook group, ‘Bring back the Ivor Potter Hall’ has gathered hundreds of people in support and hopes to encourage the council to reverse its decision to rename the Ivor Potter Hall.

Despite the council notifying the town of its planned decision, the page posted: “How were we all to know, we don’t all have time to go around looking for council meeting agendas that are posted on noticeboards locally or websites. We trust the town council to consult the public on sensitive issues such as this.”

Founders of the group, Andrew and Sue Pitt told the Post why they decided to set up the page. Sue explained: “I was born here and grew up going to Ivor Potter shows and hearing him play the organ entertaining visitors and locals in the local hotels. When I was about 20 I joined the Bude Theatre Club in the chorus for a pantomime and then subsequent summer shows.

“This is where Andrew and I met, on stage, and we have now been married 36 years. Andrew moved to Cornwall over 40 years ago, and he too wanted to get involved with the local theatrical productions. He acted in several plays at Poughill Village Hall run by the Budehaven Dramatic Society as well as being in Ivor’s shows. Over the years many couples came together through Ivor’s stage performances, not just in Bude but in other surrounding villages where he helped locals to put on productions.

“We started the Facebook page because we were disgruntled to read in the paper that the town council had voted unanimously to change the name of the hall which was named in honour of Ivor after his death in the late 1990s.

“We could see that people were going to be upset by the council meeting’s decision to rename the main hall so Andrew and I felt we should start a sort of Facebook petition page to see what response there would be from the public.”

Sue explained that the page has gathered support from across the country and even further afield. She continued: “Many, many people have added their support to this page and people from all over the world have added their comments. Many Bude exiles in Australia and other parts of the UK expressed their concerns and have shared their memories of what Ivor meant to them.”

Ivor Potter was involved in music and local productions spanning over six decades, after he began writing and producing shows after returning in 1950 from his National Service. During which time, while stationed in Egypt, he had produced a musical entitled ‘Take It or Leave It’ as an entertainment for the troops.

Producing a pantomime and a summer show every year in Bude displayed a prodigious amount of talent and dedication to the community.

Graham Hodgson grew up in the same village as Ivor and was in disbelief over the decision to change the name. He explained: “I grew up in the same village as Ivor and was involved in several of his shows. He was a legend.

“I couldn’t believe this decision by the council as at least seven of them would have known Ivor. The council need to address the real reasons the hall is not used enough and myself and many others would be happy to tell them what we think they are.

“How they think changing the name would increase use, I really fail to see.”

Following the recent developments online and within the local community, members of the Bude-Stratton Town Council met with some of Ivor’s friends and his niece on Monday, June 17, which enabled the two councillors in attendance to fully understand who Ivor was and what he did for Bude and the surrounding area.

In a statement, the town council said: “The decision to rename the Ivor Potter Hall was taken at the full council meeting on June 6. This was driven in part by the desire to simplify the name of the building which already has ‘Parkhouse Centre’ written on the side.

“The council is now aware that this has been the source of upset amongst some residents and the strength of feeling has been recognised. Under the council’s rules there is a set process for reversing a decision and this can only be done at another meeting of the full council after papers have been filed. It is expected that the matter will be reviewed at the next meeting on July 4.

“Agendas and minutes of all the council’s public meetings can be found on our website: www.bude-stratton.gov.uk and there are fifteen minute sessions for the public to speak on agendas.

“The council will seek to learn from this episode and welcomes informative public input. It would, however, ask that discussions are kept civil, as unfortunately some online comments have strayed into abusing councillors and even members of their family and this is not acceptable.

“Whilst regrettable in the way this is hitting the headlines, this hopefully brings to everyone’s attention the impact that Ivor Potter has had on the heritage of Bude and the facilities available to the community throughout the Parkhouse Centre.”