Mechanics' Trust No One

Despite all the talk (that's been going on for a long, long time) from the Mechanics' Trust about working together with others to secure the future of the building, they seem to have retreated back to their own turf if recent news is anything to go by.

Despite Forward Swindon carrying out an options appraisal for Swindon Borough Council, the Trust have got a grant from the Architectural Heritage Fund to carry out their own viability study.

The Trust still do not own the building and do not have the financial backing in place to buy it, pay for it's restoration, or the day-to-day costs of running it.

Many years ago Swindon Centric paid a pound to the Trust to be a member (probably along with many others) and never received or heard anything more from them, ever.

I suppose it's foolish to assume that pound was put in a bank account and has earned a healthy interest in the pot for the building.

If the Trust had put as much effort into fundraising as it's done into getting itself into the Adver every month or so to report that things are either progressing well/it's still at risk/the council don't take it seriously or a combination of these (like here, here and here), the building would be in use.