MELDON Village Hall has served the community well for 70 years — but hefty repair bills will be a thing of the past now the village has received a £232,276 lottery grant to replace the dilapidated building.

Hall committee members feel 'very lucky' that their first attempt to get funding from the National Lotteries Board has been successful.

'It is wonderful,' said treasurer Christine Heard. 'We knew the building could not go on much longer with all the health and safety regulations in force now.

'The lottery was our chance of getting a new hall and we went for it.'

Around £2,000 annually was being spent on carrying out repairs to the hall, but four years ago the committee started looking into grant possibilities.

Mrs Heard said getting money to repair a building in its present condition was much more difficult than acquiring the funds to build a new hall.

'What we were sure of is that we wanted to have a hall very similar to this one — a true village hall for the community that has an atmosphere, nothing too big and uninviting,' she said.

The facility has been the main focus of village activities for four generations and it is booked up several nights a week with charity events, short mat bowls, youth club events and parish council meetings.

The new hall, designed by Steve Whettem, of Whettem Senior Design Partnership in Tavistock, will also be used as a venue for wedding receptions and functions. The single storey structure will have a bar, kitchen and large storage area and be accessible for the disabled.

A total of £16,500 has been raised by the committee through numerous fundraising events and grants are also being applied for from West Devon Council and the Community Council of Devon to bring the funding up to £280,000, the total cost of the project.

Mrs Heard said it was a far cry from the £100,000 which the committee had thought would be the cost of a new hall.

'It really mounts up with professional fees and admin costs and all the necessary works for health and safety regulations,' she said.

The aim is to start the work next January and complete as soon as possible.

With the hall being the social centre in the village, members hope it will not be too long before they are cutting the red ribbon!

l In the latest round of grants from the National Charities Board Gidleigh Village Hall management committee has been awarded £112,160 to carry out refurbishment work.

Chairman Chris Smallwood said the work would include a replacement roof, a new heating system, a bigger stage, some replacement windows and a new toilet block and shower.

'We are absolutely thrilled,' he said. 'There is no way we could raise the sum of money that was necessary for a proper refurbishment of the hall.

'The hall is extensively used and we have made it available for underprivileged groups from inner cities during the summer who camp in the grounds.'

The upgrade was intended to be in keeping with the hall and not something which was 'over the top', he said. It is expected to be completed by August.

l See story page 13.