Stag and Sevenoaks Town Council shocked that District Council is considering commercial offer for the Stag

Published: 30 March 2026

As Chair of Trustees of the Stag Community Arts Centre and Leader of Sevenoaks Town Council, we want to acknowledge our complete shock at the contents of Sevenoaks District Council’s (SDC) Finance & Investment Advisory Committee agenda papers of 7th April 2026 in relation to the Stag, which state “…The Council (SDC) should dispose the freehold but at market value”.

The market value of the Stag could exceed £650,000. Sevenoaks Town Council does not hold such funds in its reserves.

The recent petition for Sevenoaks District Council to transfer the freehold of the Stag to Sevenoaks Town Council at no further cost has amassed over 4,000 signatures. This has demonstrated strong support from across the district.

If Sevenoaks Town Council paid the market value for the Stag, it would be local Sevenoaks Town ratepayers who would need to pay for this to retain their current public asset. This could result in a Precept increase of over 43% next year.

The District Council’s agenda papers also state, “…The Council has received an enquiry about the asset from a commercial organisation. As such the Council will need to carefully consider how it applies a market value to the freehold community asset of the transfer of the Stag and if indeed it may need to market the disposal of the asset on the open market”.

It appears now that Sevenoaks District Council are actively considering a commercial offer for the Stag rather than a Community Asset Transfer, which will mean the end of the Stag as a community arts centre.

If you wish to support the Stag’s freehold being transferred as a Community Asset to Sevenoaks Town Council at no additional cost to the ratepayer, please sign the petition at www.change.org/stagfreehold. You can also write to the Leader of Sevenoaks District Council, Cllr Kevin Maskell, at cllr.maskell@sevenoaks.gov.uk

Nigel Wightman, Chair of Trustees of Stag Community Arts Centre
Cllr Claire Shea, Leader of Sevenoaks Town Council