Lynton and Barnstaple - Operations and Development

That is why EA was set up in the first place. As it says pn the L&B website "EA's focus is the opportunistic purchase of parts of the former route of the railway south of Wistlandpound."

 

Re: "you have a Trust which owns an arms-length trading company" That is the norm with regards to charities as they are not allowed to sell new goods.

Re: "Exmoor Enterprise, which I can't see from that page what it does."

As it says on the website: "Exmoor Enterprise ....is "a loose association of L&B Trustees, Company Directors and others together with political and economic supporters. It's principle aim is to stimulate, promote and manage the reinstatement of the L&B across the National Park, from Woody Bay to Blackmoor and Wistlandpound Reservoir and then back to the twin towns of Lynton & Lynmouth. But also, eventually all the way back to Barnstaple."

In simple terms it was the body responsible for preparing and submitting the seven planning applications required to reinstate the railway between Woody Bay and Wistlandpound. This was the largest set of planning documents ever presented to Exmoor National Park in a single-sitting in its 60 year history.

It was also the body that oversaw last years rebuilding of bridge No's 54 and 55 and is currently managing the Transport and Works Act which is intended to be submitted later this year.

Re: "Why don't you do the fundraising for the station as a ring-fenced fund within the charity?" The L&B Trust is the only part of the organisation that is a charity and can therefore claim Gift Aid on donations. However, the charity has to show that it is risk averse so cannot arbitrarily set out to purchase a property which it cannot then make capital out of. Hence the reason why although the L&B Trust - although supporting this appeal - is not in a position to manage the appeal. In any case, it has much other work to do including it's current undertaking, the TWAO and the finance that will take up.

Several heritage railways have many separate organisations working underneath them. Why should the L&B be any different? These methods have proved successful for us over the past 40 years mainly because it is driven by the membership of the L&B Trust which includes all of our organisations working together to achieve what many thought impossible.

 

It looks very much like the bid for Bratton Fleming station has been accepted, so this is probably the end of our attempt to secure funding for it. Two points to bear in mind: the last two bids were withdrawn (possibly due to the searches showing up the fact that the reinstatement of the railway is public policy and thus CP powers might be granted some time in the future); so the current bid may still fail. Second, even if it is sold, the likelihood is that the new owners will not be young folk in their 20s, so the house will probably be on the market again in 15/20 years' time - maybe just at the point the railway is nearing that area...
The message is, therefore, please keep donating for the £500 slots scheme - if the new bid fails we must be in a position to make our own bid straight away! All moneys will be returned from this scheme if the newer bidders are eventually successful. Loans too may also be welcome if they are for large amounts (please contact David Cameron about this - his email is on the 'send email' button at the top of the Friends of Bratton Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/FriendsBrattonFleming/).
However, we are currently not collecting any more small donations via JustGiving at the moment. This is to minimize the number of donors we'll have to contact about possible refunds if the new bid is successful and we lose the station.
Thanks everyone for your support up to now!!

 

Yes indeed keep up with the collecting on the off chance that this bid also falls through....................

 

Mate of mine is selling his house at the moment. He has accepted no less than 7 offers at or around the asking price before getting as far as actually exchanging contracts today. They've all fallen through for one reason or another, and none of them covid or covenant related. Theres always hope.

 

Hi Martin - didn't want to say this publicly on the FB post, but I think it might be sensible to remove this part from the public post, as you're essentially saying "don't worry, the buyers are probably old and might be dead soon." The L&B has been accused in the past of insensitivity to those owning property along the line and this won't help that. Simply re-phrasing it as "the opportunity to purchase the property might arise again at some point in the future" would probably suffice

 

Good point - has been edited

 

Has it?

 

Yup

 

Still visible in original post and the comment suggesting amendment at 21:01.


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FB can take a while to update edits across all platforms, and it may need your browser's cache clearing to refresh. Although FB should be considered a public platform, Nat. Pres. is similarly open to inspection to all and sundry, so be prudent with what you say here too.

 

On Facebook it has been stated that if the Bratton Fleming station bid is unsuccessful then the justgiving donations will be transferred to the l&b and EA unless a refund is specifically requested.

Is this legal/ethical?

Would it not be better to ask people before deciding what to do with their donation which was for a very specific purpose?

Keith

 

As one who used the Justgiving portal for this, I am sure that my donation will be put to good use, although I understood that it would be diverted into EA's coffers if the bid failed. I have no problem with this, and do not consider it in any way unethical. It may only be a personal opinion, but reckon that the railway can make far better use of those funds than I would.

 

I agree. I don't want my £500 back, and EA need a fighting fund. I believe they will reimburse those that ask for it, but as you say, they can make better use of it.
I've spent very little while stuck at home !

 

I'm sure that the l&b and EA can both make good use of the money. My query is whether people should be asked before this happens

Keith

 

Perfectly legal and ethical - there is clear guidance on what to do if an appeal fails, or funds are left over following the appeal. This more than meets those.


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Re. Justgiving, they were informed, rather than asked, so our decision to donate was therefore based upon that premise.

 

Yes, this was stated when the JustGiving page was first launched, so all potential donors were well aware of the possible outcome before they gave anything.

 

I would imagine that the latest potential purchaser will have been told about the L&B' s plans to eventually rebuild the route, through their garden , who knows, they might not mind seeing the trains passing through from their living room window, and might be sympathetic to the aims of the project, some people don't mind sharing their garden with a live steam railway , as long as you don't make smoke on wash day, how much land comprises the plot of land the station sits on, and how much room would a single track line take up, if it came to it