STALBRIDGE Hall will host a special community event next month to celebrate the history of the venue as it enters into its 50th year.

The event is taking place on September 8 and will showcase how the hall came to be – as well as plans the hall’s management committee has for the future.

Chairman Eric Williams said: “The hall remains the town’s number one facility for the Stalbridge Community so we are inviting all to our celebratory event in September.

“We will showcase how the hall came to be and the plans we have going forward to continue to provide a first class community facility.”

Stalbridge Hall was officially opened in February 1974.

Through the 50s and 60s the original Stalbridge Hall was known as The Hut.

It was on the same site as the existing hall and was a timber and galvanised sheet structure. This hall was used as a cinema and was also the venue for the annual Stalbridge pantomine.

Older residents may well remember Vic Ford who, in addition to being the pantomime lead character, later became the chairman of the new village hall committee.

Picture: Stalbridge Hall

How the hall came to be

A lengthy process took place before the facility could exist in its current form.

• 1962 – The old ‘top school’ building was being used as the village hall
• December 1963 – The hall became a registered charity
• April 1971 – Various meetings were held with both the Parish and Dorset councils
• December 1972 – Public meeting held with 79 people in attendance and a fundraising committee was formed.
• Land at Ring Street was then purchased by the Parish Council. A lease was arranged between the Parish Council and the Stalbridge Hall Management Committee with the hall to be run under the charity commission.
• 1973 – The new hall was built on the existing site by Bayford Builders
• Feb 1974 – An opening ball was arranged for February 1 and the very first Hall annual general meeting was held on February 8.
• 1996 – The original facility was extended by building the community hall, primarily for the daily toddler group but also available for other users when free
• 2006 – The hall was extended again. The new annexe creating a bespoke area for the Youth Club and a place where meetings could be held.
• 2012 – 2024 Various projects have seen the hall refurbished to provide a modern facility. The latest being solar panels which will provide environmental friendly help with the halls energy bills.

Mr Williams said: “Records from meeting minute books show that to build the initial hall would require an estimated £38,000.

“This funding was secured by sales of assets, various grants and fund raising  – sale of old ‘top school’ for £17,000, grants from Dorset Local Education Authority for £5,760, Sturminster Newton Rural District Council for £5,000, Stalbridge Parish Council for £1,074 and fundraising events for £5,500.

As a contingency, a low interest loan and guarantee scheme was put to the village. Pledges of £5,500 were made but this was never taken up.”