Joe Fagg Pop Inn centre faces demolition this month

A community centre which has served a town for almost 35 years is set to be demolished over the coming month.

Hoardings have been erected around the Joe Fagg Pop Inn centre in St Johns Lane to prepare for the demolition.

It comes after Ashford Borough Council (ABC) submitted plans to bulldoze the derelict building and replace it with nine extra parking spaces.

The demolition is set to commence once UK Power Networks (UKPN) has visited the site and disconnected power supplies.

Traces of asbestos also need to be removed from the building before the structure can be flattened.

Once the preparation work is complete, it will take contractors around four weeks to demolish and clear the site.

Age UK was given temporary planning permission for the building next to the Vicarage Lane Car Park in 1984, and it was renewed in 1989 with the condition that once the lease ran out the building would be demolished.

The charity surrendered its lease last year, handing control to Ashford Borough Council (ABC).

Joe Fagg was a popular local haulage firm owner who provided coach tours for older Ashford residents and supplied the vehicles and drivers for the town’s carnival floats.

Called ‘Mr Ashford’, the former Ashford Football Club manager was awarded an MBE in the 1980s.

When Age UK transitioned to its new Stanhope Road centre, Mr Fagg’s name was also transferred to the new facility.

ABC confirmed hoardings have now been erected around the Joe Fagg Centre ahead of the planned demolition of the disused building.

A council spokesman said: “Demolition will only commence once engineers from UKPN have visited the site to make it safe, and all traces of asbestos are removed.

“Once the site has been cleared the land will be incorporated into the Vicarage Lane car park.”

Earlier this month, the council revealed bold plans to turn the former Mecca Bingo building and town centre car park into a multi-million pound leisure complex.

ABC hopes to partially demolish the ex-Odeon, replacing it with a large outdoor cinema screen, cafes and bars and a pedestrian route leading to a new public square on the car park.

What do you think? Write to Kentish Express, Unit 4, Park Mall shopping centre, Ashford, TN24 8RY or email kentishexpress@thekmgroup. co.uk

Joe Fagg (centre) pictured in the 1940s

Demolition is imminent at the Joe Fagg centre

Joe Fagg, centre with the hat, at a children’s day in 1957

Hoardings went up around the building last week