Chichester Hall problems
By Reginald Turnill
All over Britain, village halls are closing (as the
Daily Telegraph has just pointed out) The volunteers who run them, called
Trustees, are resigning, and possible replacements refusing to serve - as
most of us would, after reading just some of the 29 Village Hall Information
Sheets.
They are required reading, and Terry had to pay £44
for this depressing collection. The
only thing in plentiful supply is bureaucratic bodies devising
legislation, covering everything from two-sink kitchens (‘Have you
washed your hands?’), health and safety (toilets sited to safeguard
against possible child abuse), disabled access, environmental health, noise
restrictions, food and beverage sales, employment rights, VAT and building
regulations.
This is why our Chichester Hall has lacked a chairman
since the much-missed Conrad Hughes, a retired cross-Channel ferry captain,
died three years ago. As Trustees have reigned or retired, Terry has battled
bravely on for 8 years, assisted by John Cutmore, the sole surviving
Trustee, originally nominated by the Sandgate Society. John Brind, a former
deep-sea diver and local Sandgate character (he had to be rescued by
helicopter suffering badly from ‘the bends’ some years ago after being
trapped in deep water off Dungeness) is caretaker, looking after chairs,
short-mat-bowlers and many other things. But he is now forbidden by law to
change a light-bulb more than 7ft high unless somebody is there to hold the
ladder - and all Chichester Hall’s light bulbs and windows are far higher
than that.
What about the two and a half billions of Lottery money washing around
unused? We all ask that. Terry
tells me that applying for some was the most scary experience of his life.
Getting the required three builders¹ estimates and architect’s plans took
5 months and cost £3,700. Presenting it all to the Commission, he was asked
searching questions about Sandgate's needs and was unable to supply a list
of at least 15 ethnic residents among our 5,000 population - and was then
informed that the Fund had run out of money because it had all gone to The
Dome.
Despite all this, Terry’s skill at obtaining bookings
and John Brind’s efforts to keep the users happy mean that the Chichester
Hall’s day-to-day funds are quite healthy.
The £8,000 a year income pays for the insurance, the caretaker and
cleaner, and the maintenance charges. What it cannot do is provide the
estimated £125,000 for all the required upgrades. When that is done,
however, Terry is optimistic and sees all sorts of possibilities. At the
Imperial Hotel, wedding receptions must end at 7pm. If you hire the
Chichester Hall you need not finish at 7 and your wedding need not cost
thousands!
Some of us rather controversially think it should be
the new Parish Council’s job to tackle the Lottery Commission again. And
there must be Trustees brave enough to be undaunted by the new legislation.
It’s up to our numerous local societies - civic, arts, bowls, ladies,
jazz, etc - to find representatives to help out.
I myself have offered to be a Hall Trustee.
But, I asked Terry, is there an age-limit ?
“I thought you might ask” he replied, “and there is. It’s
100”.
| Written for the Sandgate News - December 2005 |