Village votes to keep its hall

RESIDENTS of Northend have decided conclusively that their village hall should be refurbished and remain at its existing site in the village.

The decision was taken during a consultation event held in the hall on Saturday and Sunday, 19th and 20th November, when villagers were given five options to choose from.

The option that was given very short shrift was that nothing should be done about the hall and that it should be closed down. Not a single person supported this idea.

But 44 households supported refurbishment of the current hall, with 35 backing the building of a new hall on the same site.

Twenty-two households were in favour of building a new hall on the playground site, but only three voted for a new hall to be built on a different site.

The village is now embarking on a series of fund-raising events to pay for the refurbishment.

Lucy Tibbles, a trustee of the hall, told the Herald: “The fund-raising activities will enable us to bring the hall up to modern standards while retaining its original much-loved character.”

Part of this upgrade will involve changing the hall’s name. Currently — and for historical reasons — it is called Burton Dassett Village Hall at Northend.

Under the new arrangements it will be called Northend Village Hall.

What is now planned is a full year of fund-raising activities with one major event being held every month.

Among them will be a cider-pressing day, a cider party, a ‘swishing’ day where people exchange clothes they no longer want, cycling events, self-defence fitness classes, a Sunday brunch, a pantomime, and ballroom dancing, already nicknamed Strictly Come Northend! Another idea is for a men’s poker night.

The publicity for the consultation weekend declared: “A hall without a community is nothing but bricks, so we are also working hard to create a hive of activities and services to move us into the future hall — whatever that may be.

“We need you and your talents, passions and skills to kick-start this part of the project.”