Village Hall

For up to date information from the village halls own website go to https://www.otterhamptonvillagehall.co.uk

Make a booking: Otterhampton Village Hall

Otterhampton Village Hall is situated off the C182 north, in the cul-de-sac village of Combwich, the largest of the villages making up the parish of Otterhampton

The 100 year old main hall, originally a malt house, became the village hall in 1944 when it was purchased by a group of four trustees and donated to the parish.

The Parrett Trail, leading to the nature reserve at Stert Point, passes in front of the hall. By the end of 2013 the Environment Agency project for the Steart Wetlands will be completed creating a diverse habitat for wildlife. Once complete a multi-user footpath will skirt the wetlands running from Combwich to Hinkley Point.

Our versatile hall is the focal point of the village and has a wide range of activities for the very young through to the ‘young oldies’. Crafts, Keep Fit, Coffee Mornings, Art Classes, Monthly Market and much more ensures the hall is used almost daily. We even have a doctor from the local Health Centre visiting once a week to hold a surgery for those who find it difficult to get out of the village.

Our comprehensive facilities include a large stage, a bar and entertainment licences. Casual, as well as regular, users are most welcome and every effort is made to ensure they are satisfied and keep returning.

We are a registered charity run by a committee elected at the annual AGM each year and all user groups are encouraged to have a representative on the management committee.

Facilities

• Main Hall capacity, seats 80 in rows, 70 seated at tables
• Rectangular and round tables are available for use
• Stage, 5m wide x 3.5m deep
• Kitchen with serving hatch, crockery, cutlery, cooker, fridge, microwave and hot water urn
• We have a licensed bar and self contained seating area with a serving hatch to main hall
• Wi-fi available
• Darts within the bar area
• Small first floor meeting room, seating for 12 people
• Skittle alley on the first floor
• Short mat bowls room with two mats on the first floor
• Toilets on both floors

Regular Users

History of the Village Hall

Before 1944 Otterhampton had no Village Hall only a downstairs room at Jack Parsons’s home on Brookside, where they played Billiards and Whist, upstairs a Doctors Surgery was held every Tuesday and Friday. Jack’s house is still there today on the right side of the barn and water pump. The size of the room posed limitations on more varied activities.

The current Otterhampton Village Hall, along Riverside, was an old malt house (seen on the left) belonging to the Combwich and District Farmers Association, and at one time was part of the property known as the ‘Towers’ owned by Henry Farthing-Leigh. In 1942 the malt house was sold to Frederick Henry and Muriel Amy Hawkins of Weston-Super-Mare

On 16^thNovember 1944 the malt house was purchased by four trustees, for the sum of £525.00, and the building was very generously donated for use as a Village Hall for all persons residing within 3 miles of the boundary of Otterhampton Parish.  These four original Trustees were:  William Arthur Leslie Pardoe of Hill Cottage Otterhampton, Edward William Jeanes of Manor Farm Otterhampton, Alfred Bryer of Somerfield Combwich and Kenneth Bowen Haybittal of Mazoe Otterhampton. Since then it has become the centre of village life and today is a busy vibrant place.

The very first committee were, William Pardoe, Edward Jeanes, Alfred Bryer, Kenneth Haybittal, Sydney Kibby, Ernest Somers, William King, Walter Fielder, Louisa Redding, Margaret Stone, Eliza Cross and Mona Kibby. Mr Haybittal the local bus proprietor was elected Chairman and Treasurer of the Village Hall committee and under his leadership the old malt house was renovated. Labour was supplied by villagers to excavate the floor and lay concrete. Electricity had not yet arrived in Combwich so an electric charging plant was installed. During the first two years a bar and skittle alley (in loft space above the main hall) were added

Otterhampton village hall became a registered charity on 8^th August 1949

Further alterations were made in the 1970’s, with a Community Council loan, the skittle alley was moved to its current home and further toilets were added to the ground floor. Between 1982 and 1989 the short mat bowls room was created in the loft space of the former skittle alley with a single mat. In 1987 the Short Mat Bowls Club was formed and opened by Councillor Cartwright, and the club have recently celebrated their 25^th anniversary

In 1991 planning permission was obtained and in 1993 Nuclear Energy donated £4,000.00 for improvements to the hall. This enabled the roof to be completely replaced and in doing so allowed the whole of the first floor to be restructured.  A meeting room along with male and female toilets were created.  A concrete fire escape was installed at the back of the skittle alley and the short mat bowls added their second mat. On the ground floor the kitchen was relocated to its present position, the social club area was enlarged and cupboards were installed at the back of the stage, new tables and chairs were bought and the old heating system was replaced throughout the hall along with improvements to the lighting and electrical systems. The majority of this work was carried out by volunteers from the Social and Bowls Clubs, creating the Village Hall we have today.  OPRA made a donation to purchase new stage curtains.

The current Village Hall Committee are now working towards acquiring major funding to develop the versatility of the hall for a wider range of activities and to create more user friendly disabled facilitie