Legion rebuild left in chaos

May 27 2010 By Greg Burns, Buckinghamshire Examiner

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BRITISH Legion bosses have admitted their 2011 rebuild target is unrealistic a year after their historic home was burned to the ground.

Fire swept through the building, in Broad Street, on May 19 last year.

Immediately after the fire, club members met at an emergency meeting at The Elgiva theatre and said the cost of a rebuild would reach £600,000 and could be finished by the end of 2011.

But club bosses received a settlement offer from the national office this week which was flatly refused when put to a vote.

They would not disclose the amount of the settlement but said it was 'too low'.

Club president Brian Shrieve said: "I can't believe it has been a year since the fire already.

"We are at a standstill at the moment. We have been offered a settlement but we turned it down because it was too low for us and what we need.

"The target of a 2011 rebuild is long gone now unfortunately. We have to put all our efforts into fighting the settlement and trying to get that figure up to what we need."

The branch set up a fund to raise money of its own and has been given use of Chesham United Football Club's facilities for social events.

But fundraising is proving to be a slow process as membership levels are dropping and support for the Legion is decreasing.

Mr Shrieve said: "It is embarrassing at times.

"We have the football club and put on some great events but no-one is coming along to them.

"Some of our members are going to the Amersham branch or just going to the pub instead. We need them to support us if they want to see the Legion rebuilt."

Thames Valley Police and Bucks Fire and Rescue Service launched an investigation into the fire but no cause was established, although arson was suspected.

Contractors tore down the remains of the building last August.

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