VILLAGERS hope to secure £350,000 of Big Lottery Funding to refurbish their community hall.

Staindrop councillors and residents are backing the A Hall for All campaign, led by the Scarth Hall Memorial Hall management committee which has plans to refurbish the venue.

The committee has already passed two rounds of the Lottery’s Reaching Communities process and will discover if they have made it to stage three on December 16.

If they do they have to make a detailed bid by May 17, 2015, before a four month wait for a decision.

Proposed improvements to the building include a new commercial standard kitchen, new toilets, ramp access, cinema and computer suite following recent work to the roof, windows and central heating.

Committee chairman Morris Race said it had been three years’ of hard work, the whole community is behind the project and Lottery bosses have said the application shows promise.

He said: “We did a lot of consultation with people in the village and that’s when it changed to A Hall for All.

“Our aim is to reduce isolation for everyone whether they are little toddlers or old people and the feedback is that they think it’s good.

“We are hopefully optimistic – people are really starting to get behind it.”

Mr Race said a recent leaflet campaign meant the committee now has more than 20 members and 20 plus volunteers who want to help secure the hall’s future.

Lord Barnard, of the Raby Estate, has also chipped in by giving them five feet of land at the side of the building to allow plans for a new ramp so wheelchair and pushchair users can access the building independently.

The hall was first built in 1875 in memory of TF Scarth, land agent to the Dukes of Cleveland of Raby Castle, and has continued to be used by community groups.

Staindrop parish councillor Ed Chicken said: “We remain very optimistic and so will continue to develop our plans based on what residents have told us and what is needed to address local needs.

“It is a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

County councillor George Richardson also praised everyone involved.

“It’s a brilliant project – they are always working at it and they should be applauded for it," he said.

For more information visit scarthhall.co.uk or search for Scarth Memorial Hall, Staindrop, on Facebook.