D-Day for Cirencester's historic arch (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

D-Day for Cirencester's historic arch

PROTESTERS campaigning against the proposed sale of the historic Norman Arch are keeping fingers crossed ahead of a crunch meeting to decide the building's future.

A strong showing of members of the Norman Arch Group (NAG) is expected at Tuesday's meeting of Cirencester Town Council when a decision whether to continue with the sale will be made.

In October councillors voted to put the proposed sale on hold to allow a working group made up of councillors and NAG members to come up with viable options for the building.

The meeting will see the final report from the working party followed by a vote to see which of the option presented is most suitable.

NAG member Martin Portus said the working party had been constructive for everyone involved.

He said: "We hope to thrash out an agreed decision between Cirencester Town Council and NAG. There has been genuine good intention on both sides to try and find an alternative to selling it.

"But I cannot guess the future, the town council could still say let's sell it. That is not the answer NAG would want and if they do choose to sell it will be very disappointing indeed."

Although Mr Portis was wary of encouraging people to attend the town council meeting en masse after the chaos of August's meeting, he said: "I would concur with people's right to come along and hear the debate."

The saga over the future of Cirencester's oldest building started almost twelve months ago when town councillors voted to put the arch on the market.

But after the Standard reported the council's plans in June last year there was a public outcry and NAG was formed.

Protests culminated in August with a rowdy meeting at the town council offices in Dyer Street where several protesters, including Will Chester-Master - son of Richard Chester-Master who originally gave the arch to the former Urban District Council - were escorted from the room.

Tuesday's meeting of Cirencester Town Council takes place in the Council Chamber at Cotswold District Council's Trinity Road offices at 7pm.