A VILLAGE hall has reopened after the replacement of its original flooring which was installed when the hall opened in 1930.

Bellerby Memorial Hall has been refurbished with a modern insulated Amtico floor.

The hall, which originally opened in 1930, was built by public subscription and a grant from The Carnegie Trust with stone quarried and dressed from a quarry above Bellerby in Lower Wensleydale.

It was built as a memorial hall in memory of those men from Bellerby who lost their lives in service during the First World War. The names of three further men from the community killed during the Second World War were also subsequently added.

In putting their improvement project together, the Memorial Hall Volunteer Committee are keen to ensure that the hall remains a key community facility into the future offering a warm, sound and cost effective facility. At the same time the committee want to ensure that the memorial background to the hall being built in the village is retained for future generations to come.

After 90 years of use by the many groups that have and do use the hall, the floor was badly worn, cold, draughty and significantly adding to the heating bills. After installation of the new floor background temperatures have risen by five degrees.

The major element of funding support for the floor was provided by the National Lottery Community Fund Awards for All Scheme.

Memorial Hall Chairman Richard Jowett said: “We are very grateful indeed for the support from the National Lottery Community Fund and their Awards for All Scheme. Without their support we could not have implemented the floor replacement so quickly and possibly not at all."

Financial support for the new floor was obtained from Bellerby Open Gardens and Events Group, Bellerby Educational Trust and North Yorkshire County Council along with Bellerby Memorial Hall’s own reserves.

Bookings for Bellerby Memorial Hall can be made via email at bmh.hallbookings@gmail.com.