Gargrave Village Hall is a great space to bring people together to celebrate or simply just to meet. With its different rooms, it can accommodate many styles of lectures and meetings.
Gargrave Village Hall has been used to host a number of wedding receptions, lectures, meetings and many birthday parties for people of all ages.
The stage is suitable for performances by just one person or all the way through to a full band as well as being able to stage shows such as the annual Pantomime.
The Kitchen is equipped with a commercial cooker, larger fridge, microwave and dishwasher enabling catering on a large scale.
The side rooms allow food and drink to be served and eaten whilst keeping the main hall free for entertainment.
There is a private Car park for 32 cars, plus a free public car park opposite.
We are always looking at ways to improve Gargrave Village Hall to enable it to continue to be a vibrant and relevant place for the whole community. If you can offer your time or have ideas to improve the hall then please do get in touch with us.
The management committee which runs the hall meets on the third Thursday of each month, alternating daytime and afternoon meetings to discuss current and future issues concerning the hall. Anyone is most welcome to come along and raise any issue that will improve the hall for everybody.
History of the Hall
The 14th February 1959 was a significant date in the social history of Gargrave. It was the day when their brand new village hall was officially opened by Colonel John Preston of Flasby Hall and Mrs.Coulthurst of Gargrave House. The project was a generous gift to the village by Mrs.Coulthurst and the Coulthurst trust.
Originally the site was home to the old “ Gargrave Sanitary laundry” which was built in 1894, the building was used between the wars by Harry Turners “Reliance Joinery” and later by Mr.Birtwhistles “Ensure Batteries”. The property then became effectively derelict and Mrs.Coulthurst went ahead with a scheme which was to create one of the finest village halls in the North of England.She spared no expense, the ballroom floor was made of the best sprung maple that money could buy.A TV room was provided which was quite an innovation back in 1959.
The hall was packed for the official opening which was followed by the serving of refreshments. The evening celebrations followed with dancing to Bill Savill and his orchestra,the first of many famous dance bands to play at the village hall.
Today many of the original dance posters adorn the walls of the main hall , a permanent reminder of the dance bands and orchestra`s who performed at the venue in the 1950`s and 60`s – The Ambassadors, Ray Ellington, Susan Maugham, Valerie Masters, Syd Lewis and The Billy Coe dance Orchestra.