New! – Click here to watch our video tour of the hall
The New Oriel Hall is a community hall situated in Larkhall serving the north east of Bath and the outlying villages of Swainswick, Woolley and Tadwick. Until 2004, it was a derelict Victorian School which pigeons had colonised, where it was possible to see daylight both through the roof and walls. It is now a large and versatile complex including 2 large halls, a social area, 3 meeting rooms and a workshop – the Cedar Store.
As a busy community hall, the New Oriel Hall is host to a diverse range of community groups, classes and events, as well as being regularly hired out for private functions such as wedding receptions, wakes, exhibitions and parties. Over 40 groups use the hall on a weekly basis, and an estimated 25,000 people use the hall every year. All this enables the hall to be financially self-sustaining. For a brief history of the New Oriel Hall – click here (51KB pdf)
The present and future
As well as the day to day running of the hall, current and planned developments include:
- Development of new community activities at the hall, particularly for the older generation
- Installing wireless internet connection throughout the hall
- An on-going energy efficiency programme
- Installing cycle racks and ramp
- Recruitment of new members to the Management Committee and Trustees
- Recent award of all 3 levels of a nationally recognised quality standard, the Hallmark scheme (15KB pdf), showing that our hall has reached high standards of operation and management. Only 1 other hall in the B&NES area has achieved level 3.
How the Hall is managed
The hall is managed by a voluntary Management Committee and run on a day to day basis by 2 part-time staff, with support from a small group of committed volunteers. Our key policies and Management Committee meeting minutes can be accessed below and our latest Annual Report is available from the office on request:
Late-opening & sale of alcohol (19KB pdf)
Health & Safety Policy 2010 (60KB pdf)
Green policy Sept 2011 (17KB pdf)
Safeguarding Children & Vulnerable Users Policy Sept 2011 (19KB pdf)(Under review)
Public Access Policy (14KB pdf)
