A very special warm welcome to any new arrivals in the village. Please take the opportunity to come along to one of our Social Evenings held on the last Friday of every month at 7:30pm (see Diary or Social page for more details). You will be most welcome.
In my Chairman’s Report this quarter I will in the majority be informing of the progress of the redevelopment of our village hall. You can also see pictures of the progress made by April and August 2009.
Many of you will have seen the changes to the village hall since my last report. Those of you who attend our Social Evenings at the end of each month may well have had a guided tour of the new extension. For those of you who have not seen the progress please feel free to contact me and I will be more than happy to show you around.
So what has happened in the last three months? – well, a great deal.
In the new MAIN HALL –
- the vaulted ceiling has been sound-proofed, plastered and painted
- the laminated double glazed windows have been fitted
- the two side and emergency exit doors have been hung
- the side walls have been plastered (these will be painted by village volunteers in a few weeks)
- plumbing and radiators installed
- electrical work (2nd fix) completed
- audio visual work (1st fix) completed
During mid-July the new main hall will have had the radon screening and insulation to the floor fitted, followed by the floor screed being laid. Skirting and architraves will be fixed and electrical work completed. Final floor covering will not go down until sometime in August.
Elsewhere, in the OLD HALL –
- the stage is out
- the old kitchen is no longer
- the original entrance has gone
- windows are out, bricked-up or re-shaped
- new guttering
- new entrance formed
To come –
- completion of new Main Hall
- new toilets (including disabled toilet)
- new kitchen (with modern equipment and gas-fired boiler)
- new Lounge (where old kitchen and stage were located) incorporating the new bar
- installation of new main entrance porch
- Meeting Room at the back weatherproofed and upgraded
- new toilets and kitchenette installed next to the new Meeting Room
- Store Room weatherproofed
These are just some of the main changes taking place over the next three months. It is hoped that the majority of the work will be completed by mid-September, ready for an Open Evening at the end of that month or early October.
Children in the Bar
Many villagers have asked about the situation regarding to children in the hall when the bar is open. There are strict laws governing alcohol consumption and I thought I would cover this issue where alcohol is being sold in the Village Hall, in the Hall grounds or at the Recreation Ground:-
- Under 16 years old – must be supervised by an adult, but cannot buy or drink alcohol.
- 16 or 17 years old – must be accompanied by an adult and if dining can drink beer, wine or cider (no spirits) if bought by an adult.
- Under 18 years old – it is illegal for anyone to buy alcohol for someone under 18 years old to consume at the Village Hall unless they are over 15 years old and dining.
The Village Hall Committee reserves the right to impose its own rules within these legal requirements.
Back to the subject of Beech Village Hall. I am delighted to say that we are already getting enquiries about bookings in our new Village Hall – word is getting around!! It is likely that Alton Bridge Club is returning to Beech Village Hall as its venue from September on Monday and Tuesday nights. A Bridge training company has booked Wednesday mornings and we have had an enquiry from a ballroom dance training company. Pilates and Body Moves continue their classes in September. Our standard hiring rates can be found on the Beech Village Hall page and we offer Beech residents a substantial discount.
The 2009 AGM will be held in the Main Hall on Friday 9th October at 7:30pm.
Have a great summer break and hope to see you down at our ‘local’ – the Village Hall.
Peter Cox
Chairman