BUCKLAND READING ROOM – our Village Hall

Why is the village hall in Buckland called the Reading Room?  There is a rather quaint reason for this dating back to when it was built and opened in 1890.  At the time, newspapers, books and magazines were not generally available to the ordinary working man and so it was a place where local people could go to read.  Publications were made available and it was a quiet place to make use of them.

Like everything else, its use was severely disrupted during the pandemic and lockdown.  It is open again although we are still operating with some precautions in place for the safety of all our users.

It remains as a community facility for the use of the people of Buckland and the surrounding areas.  It is leased from Buckland Estates by St Mary’s Parochial Council, and managed for them by the Reading Room management committee.

The Reading Room is in Old Road, a short distance from the village shop.  For anyone using satellite navigation, they should use the postcode RH3 7DY.

The regular bookings happening in the Reading Room are as follows:

WHAT ARE THE FACILITIES?

• The accommodation consists of one larger hall with an advisory maximum of 30 people, with one area which can be separated off by screens if wanted.
• There is a kitchen although we are not providing crockery and cutlery for the moment because of the cleaning issue related to Covid.
• The building has recently been refurbished and has efficient heating and other fittings which make it a very pleasant venue for smaller gatherings. Please visit the Gallery to view some photos of the interior.

The rates for hiring is a minimum of £40 for up to 3 hours, and then £10 an hour.  Depending on circumstances, we may have to add a small cleaning charge in addition because of the Covid risk.  Regular users can be given a special rate so do contact us to discuss it.

If you are interested in hiring the hall either on a regular basis or for a one-off event even over more than one day, please contact the Booking Secretary Stella Cantor, email bookings4bucklandreadingroom@gmail.com (preferred) or telephone 01737 843335.