FORMBY Hall has now been razed to the grown – but parts of the historical community hub in Atherton have been saved.

The iconic Formby Hall sandstone entrance sign above the front door of the popular 103-year-old building on Alder Street is now a memorial at Atherton Park.

It was laid in the rose garden at the park by Atherton Residents Association (ARA) and Friends of Atherton Parks on Saturday.

A commemorative plaque that was inside the hall has also been saved but its new home has yet to be decided.

Stuart Gerrard, ARA chairman, said: “When we knew our fight to save Formby Hall was over we quickly moved to save the feature above the door so we could make a memorial feature in Atherton Park.

“Obviously this is tinged with sadness but I hope our efforts to save this true community venue that served the township for 100 years are appreciated.”

Plans are afoot for a colourful flower bed to complement the Formby Hall entrance sign.

Diggers started knocking down the hall last Monday.

A care home is expected to be built on the site.

ARA is calling on Wigan Council to provide a replacement hub for Atherton residents.

Stuart added: “We will now be focusing our efforts on a replacement venue so the community once again has a dedicated place to hold functions.”

Issues surrounding the demolition of Formby Hall will be discussed at the next ARA meeting at the Atherton Arms pub on Tyldesley Road at 7.30pm tonight.