Leamington Lamp could get new home through Creative Quarter plans

Last week, Cllr Stef Parkins (Lab, Leamington Crown) gained cross-party support from several fellow councillors to propose to the council that a ten-year lease could be put in place for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association to use the currently disused former Royal Naval Association club building in Adelaide Road, Leamington, and allow Lamp to use part of building for the duration of this time.

But the majority of members voted against the motion on grounds it could prevent the site from being considered for use as part of the council’s Creative Quarter redevelopment project.

Both the association and Lamp have had to settle for a two-year lease.

Pip Burley, director of Lamp, said: “Whilst we were disappointed with the outcome of the vote, the positive is that councillors of all parties had only positive things to say of Lamp, and we were offered words of support from the executive.

“What’s crucial is that we are able to work with the council to achieve security of tenure, and we are expecting to enter into discussions to work out how that can be achieved.”

Cllr Noel Butler, the council’s business portfolio holder, has said that longer-term accommodation would be considered for Lamp as part of the Creative Quarter process.