Maintenance and development
Development
June 2021
Throughout its 60+ years various management committees have focused on the maintenance and improvement of the hall.
The current management team recognise the importance of the hall to the village and are committed to make it a first-class facility. Fortunately, the structure of the building is sound and, whilst there is still much to do, much has been achieved. We were guided by the results of the Community-Led Plan survey of 2016, which asked villagers what improvements they would like to see to the hall.
The top five were:
Kitchen 104 weighted mentions
Storage 45
Heating 40
Toilets 34
Upgrade interior 23
Planning started on the refurbishment of the kitchen and bar area, and quotes were obtained. We were fortunate to obtain a grant towards the cost from Wren (who operate the Calvert incinerator). The Pantry also contributed. The order was placed with a village resident, and work was completed in October 2018.
Lack of storage meant that tables, chairs, indoor bowls equipment, the table tennis table, etc., were stored in the main hall. Drawings were prepared for a bespoke timber storeroom at the far end of the hall. Planning Permission and Building Regulations approval were then obtained. The cost of the project was over £20,000 but again we were able to obtain grants, this time from Cherwell District Council and the Viridor Credits Environmental Company (operators of the Ardley incinerator). Once again The Pantry donated. Work started was completed in late May 2019.
The brain frying infra-red heaters have been replaced with air-sourced heat pumps, which will also cool the hall in the summer.
By 2018 the children's play area at the rear of the hall was becoming unsafe and was cleared by a group of volunteers. A new play area has been built with funding obtained from the Viridor Credits Environmental Company (operators of the Ardley incinerator) and Cherwell District Council. It opened after the first Coronavirus lockdown was lifted in June 2021
The toilets were completely refurbished during the Autumn of 2020. The gents has been totally rearranged and now provides 2 urinals. The drinks cupboard, which was in the gents, has been removed and a new cupboard, which is accessible from the main hall, has been built.
New vinyl floors have been laid in all 3 toilets and the sanitary ware had been replaced in both the ladies and gents. Where it was possible the pipework is now hidden. All 3 toilets have new heaters and new mirrors. The mirrors in the ladies can be illuminated. The lights now automatically switch on when someone enters.
The refurbishment of the toilets was made possible by grants from the Cherwell Infrastructure Capital Grants Scheme, the FCC Communities Foundation Ltd., and Piddington Pantry.
The parquet flooring was sanded and sealed in March 2021, and is much improved.
The current management team recognise the importance of the hall to the village and are committed to make it a first-class facility. Fortunately, the structure of the building is sound and, whilst there is still much to do, much has been achieved. We were guided by the results of the Community-Led Plan survey of 2016, which asked villagers what improvements they would like to see to the hall.
The top five were:
Kitchen 104 weighted mentions
Storage 45
Heating 40
Toilets 34
Upgrade interior 23
Planning started on the refurbishment of the kitchen and bar area, and quotes were obtained. We were fortunate to obtain a grant towards the cost from Wren (who operate the Calvert incinerator). The Pantry also contributed. The order was placed with a village resident, and work was completed in October 2018.
Lack of storage meant that tables, chairs, indoor bowls equipment, the table tennis table, etc., were stored in the main hall. Drawings were prepared for a bespoke timber storeroom at the far end of the hall. Planning Permission and Building Regulations approval were then obtained. The cost of the project was over £20,000 but again we were able to obtain grants, this time from Cherwell District Council and the Viridor Credits Environmental Company (operators of the Ardley incinerator). Once again The Pantry donated. Work started was completed in late May 2019.
The brain frying infra-red heaters have been replaced with air-sourced heat pumps, which will also cool the hall in the summer.
By 2018 the children's play area at the rear of the hall was becoming unsafe and was cleared by a group of volunteers. A new play area has been built with funding obtained from the Viridor Credits Environmental Company (operators of the Ardley incinerator) and Cherwell District Council. It opened after the first Coronavirus lockdown was lifted in June 2021
The toilets were completely refurbished during the Autumn of 2020. The gents has been totally rearranged and now provides 2 urinals. The drinks cupboard, which was in the gents, has been removed and a new cupboard, which is accessible from the main hall, has been built.
New vinyl floors have been laid in all 3 toilets and the sanitary ware had been replaced in both the ladies and gents. Where it was possible the pipework is now hidden. All 3 toilets have new heaters and new mirrors. The mirrors in the ladies can be illuminated. The lights now automatically switch on when someone enters.
The refurbishment of the toilets was made possible by grants from the Cherwell Infrastructure Capital Grants Scheme, the FCC Communities Foundation Ltd., and Piddington Pantry.
The parquet flooring was sanded and sealed in March 2021, and is much improved.