THE restoration phase of the Greig Memorial Hall in Alcester has received a £50,000 boost courtesy of Stratford District Council’s community infrastructure levy.
Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) is a planning charge for local authorities to help deliver infrastructure to support the development of their area.
The Greig Memorial Hall project is one of three in the district receiving backing, but is getting the lion’s share of the money.
The other schemes are electric vehicle community charging points in Napton-on-the-Hill which will receive £5,910 and the Meon Vale Pavilion Community project which is getting £5,000.
Alcester Town Council has taken on a long lease of the Hall which has been boarded up since 2011 and requires refurbishment to enable it to be reopened as a community hall and events venue.
Following essential work to make the building safe, the CIL monies will be used to replace the windows and doors on the front of the building.
Alcester Councillor Mark Cargill, who chairs the Greig Hall working group, said the hope was to open the Greig by Spring next year.
He said: “We’ve set ourselves a very daunting target and so this funding is extremely welcome.
“We have other pots of money we are looking at but obviously we need quite bit more.
“However, I have been overwhelmed by the response from the people of Alcester and the tremendous support they have given us.”
He said the staged refurbishment would hopefully see repairs done to the roof first, then the electrics sorted before new heating was installed in the new year.
“In between we have got 160 volunteers and we’re hoping to get it painted and decorated in time for the Spring.”
In the meantime fundraising continues with a coffee morning on Saturday, September 18 at The Greig, plus there are plans to hold a ‘welcome back’ post pandemic recovery event there on December 4 featuring a craft fayre, the Victoria Silver Band and Alcester Male Voice Choir.
For more details visit: https://greighall.org.uk/.
