State of Play

June 2010

The Parish Hall was sold at auction on 30 June. Several anonymous backers generously donated the funds which allowed the Committee to purchase the Hall for £50,000.

There had been some interest in the sale from potential buyers outside Whitchurch but it is thought that the restrictions that would be likely to be placed on redevelopment and the presence of a sitting tenant made the property unattractive to all but the current tenants who will now press on with further improvements and plans to made the hall into an even more attractive venue for parties, social occasions, film shows etc.

The Parish Hall Committee's solicitor has just advised that its current lease, which has over 3 years to run, appears to come under the heading of a "Business Tenancy" as the Committee uses it for social events and runs events that make a profit.

The impact of this is that the tenancy doesn't come to an end "on the termination of the contract of the tenancy, but continues until terminated by the prescribed form of notice. The tenant then has the right to to apply to the court for a new tenancy." When the PHC's Secretary contacted them, the estate agents said they knew about the Business Tenancy but it is not explicitly mentioned in the material supplied to potential buyers (it merely points out "The property is currently used as a Village Hall and is let on a 10 year lease dating from 1 September 2003").

The PHC is very pleased with this news which would point to its being able to rent the Hall for as long as they choose to do so, irrespective of who owns it. The Committee still hopes to purchase the Hall at the auction at 2.30pm on 30 June in the White Hart.

The Parish Hall Committee would like to let everyone know that its current lease, until September 2013 will still stand and so existing bookings will be honoured and you can still hire the Hall for the foreseeable future.

This follows an offer made by the Parish Hall Committee to the Administrative Trustees. The Committee are not happy that the only response was a letter saying the Hall would be sold by auction, which may lead to the possibility that the site is bought by a developer and yet another part of the community is lost.

April 2010

The Parish Hall is to be sold by auction. Following discussions with the Vicar, as Chairman of the Administrative Trustees of the Parish Hall, in March the Parish Hall Committee charity found financial backers and made an offer to buy the Hall.

The Vicar responded in early April saying that the Hall would be sold by auction; at that stage the estate agent handling the sale said that 18th May was the intended date for the sale. On Tuesday they have confirmed that there will be a sale but it will now probably be in early June.

Gill Webb, longstanding Chairman of the Parish Hall Committee said that she was disappointed that the offer had been turned down but that she still hoped that the Hall could be saved for the community.

Gill gave a report to a very poorly attended Annual Town Assembly on 27 April.

February 2010

External and internal improvements have taken place using grants, donations and funds raised by the Committee's fund-raising events.

Work includes the frontage and new access ramp, an emergency exit ramp and a new central heating system.

Following negotiations with Moviola, which produces film shows at 83 venues across the South and West of England, monthly film nights started and will be held on the first Thursday of each month.

Moviola provides current box office releases and up to date projection equipment. The Parish Hall provides the venue and bar and an atmosphere for a social evening without having to travel miles and be surrounded by folk munching pop corn.

To launch the venture there was a free glass of bubbly for all who attend the first night, the film was Julie & Julia starring Meryl Streep and Amy Adams. 117 turned up to see the film and turned the event into a social occasion.

November 2009

Tim Richardson returned for an exhibition with 10 artists which now form Hampshire Arts. This is a new grouping which aims to bring quality art directly from the artist to the buyer. The weekend event was rounded off again with an evening of jazz. The group is now firmly based in Whitchurch and will return, with a bigger and better exhibition, in August 2010.

Whitchurch Festival Committee organised a supper meal with entertainment for 100 of Whitchurch's senior citizens. Neville Bright's organisation with support from the Committee, Julia Cobb, Pat Gilbert and Lesley Peters (all from Kingfisher), Cabbage (David Freeborough), WADS, The Scarlets, Singing for Fun and all who helped, produced an evening that was appreciated by the 100 or so senior citizens that attended. Thanks to the Harvest Home, The Hurstbourne & Kings Arms for the drinks which made the evening go really well, the Old Paper Shop and Flower Power for raffle prizes. Keith Blakey, Alan Philips, Brian Langer(Kingfisher) and Eric Dunlop drove many of the diners to the Hall.

August

Tim Richardson brought together 6 artists to stage a display running over 7 days which brought in some 400 visitors, around 100 of those from outside the town as the vent was part of the Hampshire Open Studios event. The week was rounded off by a jazz evening, this time with Tim on drums, ably supported by the rest of the Oxford Jazz Quartet and Lizzie Newbery. There's lots of pictures of the art here.

July

WADS staged 3 one act plays in the Hall bringing the stage in to use - their supporters again filled the Hall and were rewarded with entertainment and a ploughman's supper.

May

The first bingo session in the revitalised Parish Hall was held on Thursday. Using a computerised system with information displayed on a large screen, over £30 was raised for the refurbishment funds and those at the event said they enjoyed it so much they wanted it repeated. Gill Webb thanked all those who attended and helped in any way.

So high tech Bingo is back in the Parish Hall on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of each money - the Snowball wasn't won at the first event so it now rises to £30 - and the tickets are only 10p!!

March

The stage with its refurbished lights was used for a dramatic performance by WADS to celebrate its 50th anniversary and a live gig by the local Heidi McLoughlin Band.

Live music on stage	Drama on stage

February

The first phase of the redecoration was completed with the hanging of a new set of curtains very kindly donated by Muriel Hurst.

Bill Judge managed to get funding from 2 sources:

• Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council gave £5,000 to be spent on refurbishment for the benefit of all.
• Councillor John Maxwell gave £1,414 from his Hampshire County Council discretionary funds towards the cost of replacing the boiler.

January

Whitchurch Friday Market returned on 9th January when Gill Webb, the Country Market's organiser for many a long year, brought her home made cake and produce stall to the Parish Hall. This was joined by a vegetable stall, claiming to have the cheapest in Town and offering smaller quantities suitable for those living alone, a card stall, the Cats Protection League and refreshments plus a chance to read the local papers. The return to the Hall was welcomed by some who found the extra distance to the Gill Nethercott Hall too much.

Picture from the Basingstoke Gazette

Christmas 2008

Following the annual switching of the Town Hall lights, most of the crowd moved into the Parish Hall to sample mulled wine and hot mince pies whilst joining in Christmas Carols from the Singing for Fun ladies.

Grand re-opening

11th October 2008

Sir George Young MP presided over the reopening of the Hall; the Mayor, Peter Williams, County Councillor, John Maxwell, and Borough Councillor, Keith Watts, were also on hand to celebrate the occasion together with a Hall full of Whitchurch residents.

Sir George and Gill Webb, Chair of the Parish Hall Committee paid thanks to all who had helped by physical work, fund raising or even providing parking space for the skip to hold the rubbish that was cleared form the Hall.

Cllr John Maxwell provided provided £2,000 from County Council Funds and Whitchurch Town Council has given a grant of £500 to the work done to date. The remainder of the funding has come as a result of the efforts of Bill Judge and his fund raising campaign.

There is still work to be done and more funds are required to continue the good work which has brought the hall back into use. To book the Hall contact Ruth Wigmore on 893512.

September

The toilet floors have been replaced and new toilets and wash basins installed. It only remains for them to be redecorated.

The major job of repainting the internal walls has been completed by Bill Judge and Rod Clark and an impressive new wooden dado rail is being installed all round the hall. Curtains and blinds will be fitted to allow the hall to be used for events such as film shows.

The kitchen will be refitted prior to the reopening planned for 11 October.

Already 2 weekly bookings have been agreed in principle which will allow the Whitchurch Youth Project Tuesday Club and a new Friday night drop in centre to be established.

August - Repairs

The Parish Hall Committee decided on 31st July 2008 to go ahead with the repairs to the fabric of the building caused by the leaking external downpipe.

This work will cost around £10,000 and take all the funds available at the time of the decision. The work would completely replace the joists, floors and internal walls in the toilet area and install new ladies' and gents' toilets. At the same time Bill Judge and Rod Clarke are redecorating the inside and outside of the hall. An application for 50% funding is to be made to the SEEDA funded Paint Your Town Scheme and an application for £500 will be made to Whitchurch Town Council to support the project.

The aim is to have the Hall usable by October 2008.

Unfortunately further damage to the hall has been discovered during the investigation, luckily this just the flooring in the kitchen area and should cost less than £1,000. It is planned to undertake this work after the Hall opens.

So funds are urgently required to get the Hall back to provide the facilities it has done for the Town for over 100 years. Bill Judge has produced the first of what is planned to be a periodic newsletter. This includes a plea for donations. The form to donate is here or just drop in to Gladstones.

The Parish Hall has been Whitchurch's "Community Centre" for over 100 years, having been built by the Church on land given to the Town. It is now leased and run for the benefit of the whole community by the Trustees of the Parish Hall (Registered Charity No 255942)