WE ARE OPEN

Strangways Hall is now officially open and bookings can now be arranged via the booking officer, Heather Stevens (see contact details below).

Strangways Hall is situated in the Market Square opposite the Ilchester Arms Hotel in the centre of Abbotsbury, which is one of the picturesque villages on the B3157 Coastal Heritage Route, between Weymouth and Bridport.

The hall used to be the old village school, and is a handsome and substantial Grade 2 Listed Building. It comprises 2 halls, a kitchen, toilets and a playground, which can be hired out in a variety of ways, which are described below.

The village hall is managed by the Trustees, supported by a Management Committee, and is a registered Charity, with its primary purpose being to provide a facility for the whole community in the Parish of Abbotsbury.

Hiring the Village Hall & Green

The contact for this is Heather Stevens, telephone number 01305-871629 or via email heather.stevens52@btinternet.com

Each hall can accommodate up to 65 people. The kitchen is modern, and equipped with 2 cookers, a fridge/freezer, microwave and crockery and cutlery for 65 persons. Electricity for heating and lighting in the hall is via £2 and £1 coin meters.

The green can also be used for wedding photographs etc.

Click image for large view

The Village Hall is an ideal place to use for exhibitions, rehearsals, fairs, workshops, wedding receptions, birthday or anniversary celebrations, children’s parties or family reunions etc.

The Hall is licensed for alcohol and music through its Community Premises Licence, and is fully insured including Public Liability. Hirers can also apply for a licence to sell alcohol at a function in the Hall, and more information on this is available from Heather Stevens, the Bookings Officer. Chairs and folding tables are included in the hire charges.

Tables and some stacking chairs are also available for hire for external functions, subject to availability.

Parking is available in the village car park, which is on left hand side as you enter the village from Weymouth direction. There is a bus stop right outside the Hall – the X53 Weymouth to Bridport service.

Hiring the hall:

During school term the local Pre-School has priority use of the Village Hall from 9:30 until 3:30 on Monday -Thursday, and there is a Toddlers Group on Friday 10:00-12:00. Their extensive equipment and facilities are usually left in place until term-time finishes, when everything is put away to free-up space for re-use of the hall for bookings.

For hire of the hall outside of these times during term-time, special arrangements can be made to re-locate pre-school equipment to free-up space, and these can be discussed with the Bookings Officer; charges would be based around those shown below, although some flexibility may be possible to reflect the fact that it is likely that only one full, and one half hall would probably be made available along with access to the kitchen and toilets.

To contact the Pre-School please get in touch with Pip Gowans on 07786-168142 or via email: chesilbankpreschool@gmail.com

Term dates for 2021/2022 are as follows:

Autumn Term 2021
Monday 6th September – Friday 22nd October
(Half term Monday 25th October – Friday 29th October)
Monday 1st November – Friday 17th December
Spring Term 2022
Monday 10th January – Friday 18th February
(Half term Monday 21st February – Friday 25th February)
Monday 28th February – Friday 8th April
Easter
Monday 11th April – Friday 22nd April
Summer Term 2022
Monday 25th April – Friday 27th May
(Half term Monday 30th May – Friday 3rd June)
Monday 6th June – Friday 22nd July

Daily Hire Rates for the hall:

The halls and kitchen can be hired in a variety of ways, when it is not being used by the Pre-School. There are three main ‘session’ times each day: mornings 9am-1pm, afternoons 1pm-5pm and evenings, 6pm-10. These can be combined if needed, for example, over a weekend. It may also be possible to hire some of the hall during term-time, by special arrangement.

Abbotsbury Parish Residents: £10 per session
Chesil Parish Residents: £15 per session
Out of Area: £25 per session
Commercial Use: £25 per session
Use of kitchen: £5 per session
Use of hall green: £10 per day for commercial use, all else within existing charges

External hire of tables is £1 per item; external use of chairs is 50p per item. Collection and return by hirer please.
For community events, parties, workshops, wedding receptions and exhibitions etc, rates are negotiable.