White Colne
Parish Council
White Colne Village Hall
White Colne
Parish Council
White Colne
Parish Council
White Colne
Parish Council
White Colne
Parish Council
Village Hall, with Pétanque Court in front
White Colne Village Hall Management Committee
Notice to all Regular Hirers
Village Hall Hire Charges with effect from 1st April 2013
Please contact the Lettings Secretary , Rita Pearcey
for any further information and to check availability of the facilities
telephone 01787 221919
e-
Hourly rate for regular hirers* and one-
(Excluding use of kitchen)
Hire of Kitchen, flat rate per session
(Morning, afternoon or evening )
Party rate for weekend evening sessions
(Max 6 hours, Friday or Saturday including use of kitchen) Hire of Music Centre (plays mp3, CD, radio)
£10.00
£20.00
£80.00
£10.00
White Colne
* a reduction in the hourly charge for regular hirers may be offered depending on number of booking and hours involved
Following an extensive programme of improvements which began in Spring 2006, there is now an attractive spacious venue for events, parties, regular classes and meetings. The list of what has been achieved is impressive:
- replacement of all windows and external doors,
- refurbished and completely re-
equipped kitchen, - redesigned and newly equipped toilets including disabled facilities and baby changing,
- improved external access for the disabled,
- loft insulation to current specification,
- hearing loop for those with hearing impairment,
- redesign of the internal public space, eliminating two small rooms and creating one large, open plan space,
- creation of a new bar area.
As the picture shows, at our recent wine tasting, we had 42 people seated for a three course supper which was prepared in our modern kitchen. Seated capacity for the Hall is about 60.
This event attracted both villagers and friends from outside White Colne. One couple from East Bergholt, who frequently hire village halls across north Essex/south Suffolk commented…
What a super hall you have, a hidden village gem.”
The Hall is available for hire from 6.00 am until 11.30 pm seven days a week.
The village has made a considerable investment in its Hall although the majority of the costs have been met through generous grant funding from a number of bodies including Braintree District Council, Awards for All and the National Lottery. The Village Hall and The 50 Club have made substantial contributions from their “profits” made from hiring the hall, from fund raising events and from donations. The Parish Council also stepped in with money for specific elements of the works.
The most recent improvements were celebrated in November 2012 with a Grand Opening as reported in the January 2013 newsletter. But the time has now come to make more use of this wonderful village asset.
Currently we have several regular users running classes during school term time:
every Friday morning a yoga class meets at the Hall, run by Claire Randall from Coggeshall. Claire is well known locally and runs several classes at other locations. Interested? Give her a call on 01376 561758 or email her at claireyoga@toucansurf.com
on Saturday mornings, Priors Dance School runs 5 hours of dance classes for children covering Baby, Primary and Grades 1 to 5 Tap and Ballet. There is more information on their website, www.priorsdanceschool.com or phone Nicki Robinson on 07966 884453.
and on Wednesday evenings Ulrike Tillmanns from Earls Colne runs a sewing club. Ulrike has recently set up her own business, ‘Patchwork Quilts & More’, and information on her classes can be found on her website www.patchworkquiltsandmore.co.uk or by phone on 01787 223639.
Until recently, we also hosted a parent and toddler group which had met regularly for many years on Wednesday mornings. Unfortunately, this has closed but there are opportunities for anyone who wishes to start up such a group or any other regular social or craft meetings any day, Monday to Thursday.
In addition to these groups, the 50 Club organises about half a dozen events a year, including quizzes and pub nights, the Hall hosts Parish Council Meetings and is available for private hire for parties, social and business gatherings.
The Hall is available for hire from 6.00 a.m. until 11.00 pm ( Monday -
So we’ve done the hard work, now we can enjoy the facilities. If you wish to book the Hall for your family party, your social group or business meeting then please contact Rita Pearcey, the Hall’s lettings secretary, who can confirm availability and hire charges.
Rita’s number is 01787 221919 or you can email villagehall@whitecolne.com
White Colne Village Hall
click here for details of Hiring the Hall
General information.
The current use of the building dates from 1976, when planning permission was first sought to convert the old stationmaster’s cottage for use as a parish hall. The building itself dates from about 1860, the original station building being the part built from pale stone and brick. Believed to be the first station built and opened for the Colne Valley and Halstead Railway (CVHR), and the smallest on the line, the later extension (in red brick) was added to give accommodation for the station master.
Originally known simply as Colne, the station served the two villages of White Colne and Earls Colne until a new station (known as Ford Gate) was built between Earls Colne and Colne Engaine in about 1898. The station in Bures Road was closed at this time but reopened in 1907 as White Colne Station. The line closed to passengers in 1961 and to goods traffic in April 1965.
The present building is all that remains of White Colne Station, although the car park, football, table tennis and basketball areas are on the site of the goods yard. The platform itself, now
removed, was situated across Bures Road, in the grounds of what is now a private residence.
The Village Hall also benefits by having a pétanque court.
Only 200m walk away along the Chase which passes by the allotments, is the White Colne Meadows.
click here for more history of the railway
