The New Village Hall

On this page we hope to provide you with current developments and documentation that illustrate where we are in the process.

Progress Update (photos by Gerald Crane)

Emptying the hall.

Removing the wood for a new Husthwaite project.

Before the contractors took over the site, the electricity had to be disconnected.

Only a small part of the hall left.

and then it was gone!

Thanks to more than three years of dedicated work from members of the village hall committee, a Big Lottery Fund grant of £470,154 has been secured to replace Husthwaite Village Hall, which has served for the past 90 years, with a dynamic new building. At the beginning of April our appointed builders Tom Willoughby Building Contractors and Construction, will take charge of the site and commence demolition and ground preparation ready for an environmentally friendly, sustainable all inclusive building designed by Native Architects that will enhance a village in an area of outstanding natural beauty and the emphasis is definitely on eco sustainability!

Additional funding has been provided by North York Moors Coast and Hills LEADER Programme with supporting grants from AONB Sustainable Development Fund, Garfield Weston Foundation, Bernard Sunley Foundation and Orchards of Husthwaite, plus numerous village fundraising events.

In 1920 it cost the villagers of Husthwaite £100.00 to buy the original building from Ripon Army Barracks. The ex-military wooden barracks shed arrived by horse and cart and was reconstructed as the village hall, which has seen a whole host of events over the last nine decades from Home Guard training, to its current,regular schedule of activities and entertainment, including Scottish dancing, music and theatrical performances and the base for several local clubs.

The hall has had little investment or improvement over the years and a new hall will allow it to continue serving the community in a more sustainable and ecologically sound way, as the building will use renewable energy from air source heating and natural insulation materials to rainwater recovery, providing toilet cistern and soft landscape water needs, topping it off with sustainable hard core landscaping materials and a part ‘living roof' enhancing the external appearance. Not forgetting the village ‘Pathway to Success' fundraising initiative of personalised engraved brick pavers to be incorporated in the hard core.

Look out for a whole host of improved and new services and events in 2014, but remember, as merely custodians for this Community venue, The Village Hall Committee very much hope the new hall will offer something for everyone, so please never hesitate to contact us with any ideas or events you would like to see and we will do our best to provide or help you organize it. AND don't forget, it will be a great place for private functions and celebrations.

For further information of events, dates, fundraising activities and the venues while the hall is out of service, please check the news area and the calendar on this website. Look out for more details later in the year of our Grand Opening Celebrations, with displays depicting the history of our old hall and how our new phoenix ‘rose from the ashes', well dust at least.

Plans and elevations.

You can see an artist's impression of the new building below.

Other Documents

Village Hall Committee Minutes