RAYLEIGH’S Mill Hall will need more than £1 million of investment to become a success, it has been revealed. 

Rochford Council, having shelled out £662,000 to escape a deal with a developer to flatten the building to make way for flats, opened an expression of interest process to invite community groups and businesses to be involved in running the centre.

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Following negotiations, council officers have determined it is not financially sustainable for the Mill Hall Arts and Events Centre to be operated by the community expressions of interest.

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The building needs investment totalling £1.250 million over a 15-year period and does not make enough revenue to offset this capital, council documents reveal.

The current operating costs are significantly high due to the age and design of the building, making it difficult for the community expression of interests to quantify a financial return.

At a council meeting last week, the three groups which had put themselves forward lambasted the council over the scale of the exorbitant running costs and a “chaotic and confusing” process.

A spokesman for one such group, the South Essex Community Hub (SECH), a Southend-based youth hub charity, told the hearing: “We put considerable time and effort into our expression of interest.

“After the initial meetings, where we set out our proposals there no communication back to us whatsoever.”

The charity has since written to the council formally expressing its dissatisfaction with the process.

A representative from Rayleigh-based Christian charity Mega Centre, which applied to run the café, said: “We were disappointed and angry with the process.

“The process felt confusing, disjointed and chaotic.”

A spokesman for the Rochford Design Cabin Community described the expression of interest process as “incredibly disorganised”.

“I felt the goal posts changed multiple times throughout our conversations with the council,” they said.

Under new proposals, a council reception could be crated at the centre while the authority will explore inviting partners such as Citizens Advice, Police and NHS to hold events at centre.

Meanwhile, the council will continue to manage bookings and will take on the responsibility for the repair and maintenance and all operational costs.

A £230,000 of capital investment is required to get the building to an operational standard to enable initial usage.

Discussions with current leisure contractor Fusion to extend the existing contract are set to begin.