Grand Plans for Clarence Hall
Posted: 8th November 2018CLARENCE HALL, CRICKHOWELL
NEWS RELEASE FROM THE TRUSTEES OF CLARENCE HALL CRICKHOWELL
NOVEMBER 10TH 2018.
Ambitious plans are being drawn up to turn Crickhowell’s historic Clarence Hall into “one of the finest and grandest town centre event venues in the Brecon Beacons.”
The Hall’s Trustees are bidding for grants to repair and extend the iconic building and improve its facilities. They are calling for local people to back their bid for funds by expressing their support for the Hall.
The newly appointed Chair of Trustees, Dean Christy, said: “The Clarence Hall is already the largest and grandest event venue in Crickhowell town centre and has been home to community events, meetings, and performances for the last 130 years. But, all historic buildings need to be refurbished from time to time both to protect their historic fabric and to make sure they are able to meet the needs of everyone who wants to use them. For Clarence Hall, that time is now, and we need people to get behind us.”
As part of the plans, which will be submitted to the Brecon Beacons National Park Authority, the Hall’s bar area and kitchen will be upgraded, disability access will be improved, and the rear of the building will be extended upwards to provide more spaces for meetings and events. Before that, builders will refurbish the former caretaker’s house at the side of the Hall, which will be let to provide much needed accommodation and an income for the Hall.
The Trustees say the refurbishment will make the Hall even more attractive for people wanting to stage concerts and performances as well as weddings and other private functions. They say these will increase Clarence Hall’s income and in turn make it easier for the Trustees to support community events there.
A campaign is being launched under the banner “It’s Your Clarence Hall” to encourage people to express their support for The Hall by writing or posting on social media about how they have used it in the past and how they would like to use it in future.
Dean Christy said: “Securing the funding we need to turn our Clarence Hall into the finest town centre event venue in the Brecon Beacons will not be easy, but then nothing worth doing ever is. In order to obtain grants and funding from private individuals and companies, we will need to demonstrate how much people care about our Clarence Hall. So, please, it’s your Clarence Hall, please tell us how much you care.”
People are asked to send their support via email to clarencehall@btinternet.com or by writing to The Clarence Hall Trustees, C/O CRiC 1 Beaufort St, Crickhowell NP8 1BN or by commenting on The Clarence Hall Facebook, Twitter or Instagram Accounts or writing in local newspapers. The comments will be collected together and used as part of submissions for grants.
The existing Trustees, some of whom have worked as volunteers for more than 40 years, are being joined by Tim Jones of the recent successful Corn Exchange project and the Great British High Street campaign; Dian Winter, who has close links with performing arts in Crickhowell; and Orinda Williams, who will look after financials and a new Clarence Hall Development Fund.