When the school was offered a new Kitchen the decision was forced on the management committee and in the process the authority scrapped much of what was the property (see Deed) of the Village. The Servery (shared) was reworked to modern standards but there was no room for the village cooker, so it was scrapped. The Bar area (village property) was also stripped and bricked up to make a back room which was then filled with fridges and freezers for the new cook-chill school meals. To deal with this form of food the school was then provided with a Colsten Hostess.

The Colsten was then locked away within the school and the refrigerators locked leaving the Village with no viable cooking facilities. In the fullness of time a Baby Belling and a small fridge together on a trolly was provided but was totally inadequate for hall hires.

The current Hall Management Committee included members who had enough knowledge of the Sharing Agreement Deed to see that what the authority had done was unlawful and damaging to the Village and so over many years and many discussions  the authority accept the conditions of said deed. The Village was not using the Hall with the school’s consent but rather as co-owners with equal rights under the law.

Over a long break the authorities rewired the hall to suit its needs but did so without any consultation with the village. The result was that more village facilities were lost. Should a trip have operated during a let it was no longer possible to reset it from within the hall.

More discussions followed and it was made very clear that we were fully prepared so force our rights to the fore, to the extent of reversing the decision to accept the alterations to the Servery and Bar.

A compromise proposal was accepted and further modifications made remotely controlling the trips and fitting a high power industrial socket. The Village then purchased a domestic cooker and fitted it with wheels similar to a fridge done previously. Given then that a Hirer wishes to cook the equipment is taken out of storage by the Caretaker who has been trained in this extra task. The hirer is then unaware that the facilities are in any way unusual.

The loss of the Bar is proving to be a problem but as yet no options have been suggested, but time will tell.