Much-improved village hall in Thimbleby opens its doors after makeover

Much-needed renovations have taken place at the Main Road hall, which was built in 1856, originally as a school, and has been a grade II listed building since 1985.

The work was completed in December, providing a much-improved and more user-friendly hall. And to celebrate, an event, complete with refreshments, will be held from 12 midday to 2 pm on Saturday when villagers get the chance to check it out.

The hall is a registered charity run by a board of trustees. Its chairman Peter Ulyatt is confident the changes will make a huge difference to the lives of people in the area.

He said: “This project is a real boost to Thimbleby. We’re looking forward to seeing the village hall take shape.”

The work has included an extension to the kitchen, which has been re-roofed and insulated, and the installation of indoor toilets.

It has been carried out with the help of financial grants, including one of £73,000 from the FCC Communities Foundation, which supports community projects through funds donated by waste management company FCC Environment via the Landfill Communities Fund.

Since 1998, the foundation has granted more than £200 million to more than 7,000 projects which benefit residents living within ten miles of an FCC Environment landfill site.

The new-look hall has already won praise from Thimbleby residents. One posted on Facebook: “Having used it for a personal function, I can totally recommend this venue.

"The renovations that have taken place make this an appealing place for hire, especially as the cost is very reasonable.

"The new flooring in the main hall looks very good and hard-wearing, while the kitchen has been totally redone and fitted with smart units.

"The internal decor throughout is light and smart.”

Hall officials are now hoping that the attractive, modern and flexible facilities will be used by a variety of groups, hosting classes, clubs, meetings, talks or parties. The hire charges are £8 per hour or £25 for a four-hour slot.

The trustees also hope to regenerate the land behind the hall, which will host displays at one of Thimbleby’s next major events – a heritage trail on Sunday, April 6.