"Published on Thursday 31 March 2005 17:25 THE contents of St Elphin's school, in Darley Dale, are to be auctioned off amid angry claims of profiteering from the school's closure. Parents and members of the Friends of St Elphin's, a group who have had the interests of the 160-year-old school at heart, have spoken out about the auction which will be managed by Matlock estate agents, Fidler Taylor, on April 16. Parent Steve Crystal said: "The friends of St Elphin's have provided many items which were for the benefit of generations of students and now they are benefiting the people who own the school. "I'm absolutely disgusted that there will be no more generations of school children passing through the school." Chairman of the Friends of St Elphin's Danny Hopkinson said: "It's a bit disgusting really. They are profiting out of something that was given to the school. "The Friends are quite devastated really. I think they have got away with stripping the school of its assets. "I don't think the present owners had any intention of running it as a school." The auction to be held on the premises will include period furniture, carved stone urns and garden features, computers, musical instruments, scientific instruments, pictures, sports equipment, collectables, books, two minibuses, pine cupboards and drawers and tables for stripping and renovation. Among the items donated to the school is a 300,000 grand piano which is going to a specialist auction. Photographic archives which were going to be donated to the public records office have been returned to the school at the owners' request. Mr Hopkinson said: "They are of value to people who are interested in the history of the school." Building work which was begun on an extension to Grove House on the school grounds has been halted and a planning application has been registered with Derbyshire Dales District Council. Enforcement officers will consult with Darley Dale ward members to determine whether the application is dealt with by committee. School owner Paul Elliott was unavailable for comment."
Reprinted by kind permission of Matlock Mercury |
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