Welcome to the official website for the Farrowly Village Hall!

On this site you can learn all about our much-loved village hall. You’ll be able to discover its history, get an overview of what it has to offer, get the low-down on upcoming activites, and find a comprehensive record of all the local groups, associations and individuals that access the hall on a regular basis (obviously we’ve not included the cleaners).

Why not consider hiring the hall for your own event?

A village hall for one and all! Every resident of Farowly is always welcome at the Farrowly village hall. *

What’s Happening at the Village Hall This Week!

A regular update of Farrowly village hall activities, and village events.

Thursday:

Welcome to Farrowly!

The Farrowly Culture Society opens its doors (and the doors of the village hall), to all of the new families and residents who have moved into the village over the past year. This one-night-only complimentary session provides a comprehensive overview of the history and culture of the village, to highlights what’s great about the village, what has always been great about the village, and why nothing needs changing with any fancy big city ideas. No hoity-toity Costa Coffee here (though M&S Food would be welcome)!

About Our Village Hall

A village hall is an invaluable treasure for any community (that is a village). Conveniently situated in the heart of Farrowly, our village hall was originally constructed in 1923, replacing Market Square (now Chris’s Carpet Carnival) as a central communal space for the village. A popular and well used building, eventual wear and tear resulted in the original hall having to be torn down, and, in 1988, a new and improved hall was built in its place. The new hall is in the exact same location as the original one, only two feet to the west for the sake of plumbing, electrics, and out of respect for the dead.

The Farrowly Village Hall is available for private hire. It’s suitable for all occasions and in the past has been used for wedding receptions, dance recitals, retirement parties, beauty pageants, public talks, debates, quiz nights, club meetings, health and safety inspections, unsuccessful world record attempts, and an unendorsed public trial. The hall’s popularity is evident in the repeat business that it gets from Farrowly residents – villager Jamie Dion has seen the hall host his 12th, 15th, 22nd, 23rd, 24th, 27th, 29th, and 81st birthday parties.

The building consists of a main hall (15.5m x 13m) including a stage, kitchen (3.4m x 3.6m), foyer, (2.8 x 6.1 m) meeting room (7m2), green room / dressing room (3m2), storage room (biggish) and toilet facilities (average toilet size).

It has capacity for 240 standing (though probably more if it were just children), and 130 seated (this figure is based purely on the number of seats that we have available).

A fully equipped kitchen can accommodate big events. It includes two stoves, three kettles, two tea urns, two microwaves, and over 7,000 loosely matched cups and saucers. The kitchen cupboard is regularly re-stocked with complimentary orange squash, free for all users to enjoy. Also, if you know who has been leaving orange squash in the kitchen cupboard then please do get in touch.

There is a car park that can accommodate 12-19 cars (size dependent) and 130 push bikes, but not both at the same time. There is an overspill car park within driving distance of the hall.

Complimentary wifi is available in the hall for all visitors. We won’t reveal the password here on this site, but if you know the name of the mayor’s dog, and the year it was put down, then you’ll be able to guess what the password is.

The hall does not have an alcohol license, though temporary alcohol licenses can be provided. The hall does not have a marriage license either, and we apologise to all those inconvenienced during the seven-year period when we assumed that it did.

We can endorse local businesses to provide you with the following: Catering, sound equipment, professional lighting (choose from seventeen different village-based companies), event organisation, photography, security, sports equipment, marketing, branding, hiring a village hall, and resolving legal disputes.

To hire the hall email Penny the Hall Manager (her title, not her surname), at farrowlyvillagehall@gmail.com or simply pop into the hall and pick-up an application form. Deposit is £5,000.

Hiring Costs

Farrowly Residents: £11p/h, Non-Farrowly Residents: £12p/h, Daniel Wayne: £560 p/h

Opening Times

The hall is available for hire between the hours of 09:00-01:00 (Every day of the week, except Christmas day, Easter Sunday, and days when it’s already been hired by someone else).

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you have any questions or concerns about your village hall booking? Before contacting us, why not check-out the following FAQs, and you might just find the answers you’re looking for.

Do you have any decorations I can borrow for my booking, preferably with Happy Birthday Debbie written on them?

- No.

Is the kitchen area kosher? I forgot to ask last time.

- No.

Is it possible to disconnect the CCTV?

- No.

Is that The Best of Dexy’s Midnight Runners CD still stuck in the PA system?

- Yes.

Is the 1am deadline in GMT?

- Yes.

Do you have any bigger village halls available?

- No.

Have you settled any highly publicised disputes with Farrowly’s Chief Fire Officer?

- No.

Has the hall been exorcised (would you like it to be)?

- No.

Does your insurance cover VERY amateur boxing?

- No.

Are you purposely ignoring all of my complaint emails?

- Yes.

If I decide to book your village hall instead of booking the Royal Albert Hall, is there a clear benefit?

- No.

Is the village hall still classed as a crime scene?

- No.

Testimonials

“The hall was clean, airy, light, comfortable, and well equipped. Just as Gillian likes it.”

“So many great memories of children’s birthday parties from years gone by. If there’s any more coming up, do let me know.”

“It wasn’t until I hired it for my daughter’s wedding reception that I realized just how great this venue is. Now, I’ll hire it for every time my daughter wants to have a wedding reception, despite living thousands of miles away.”

“If there’s one thing in this world that I really CAN NOT STAND it’s a village hall that does not live up to its reputation when you hire it for a retirement party. I can stand the Farrowly Village Hall.”

“They are HOT on sorting out squatters!”

“Don’t be fooled, it’s no NEC, but it was still sufficient for my son’s judo finals.”

“Complaints were dealt with fast, efficiently, and anonymously. Minimal police involvement.”

Below is a list of organisations, clubs and societies that frequently use space at the Farrowly Village Hall. Most are open to public attendance, or happy to accept new members if you’ve not got much going on.

Public Services

Village Council Meetings

A Woman’s Group

Farrowly Baby & Toddler Drop-Off

Keep Fit or Keep Out

AA,AAAA

Learn Bits of French with Rita

Learn Bits of Italian with Rita

Learn Lots of English with Rita

Farrowly Comprehensive School - Detention Over-Spill Space

Recreational

Quiz Farrowly - Farrowly Village Charity Quiz Night

Stage Thriving! Am Dram Society

Lights Down Film Club

Point & Laugh - Stand Up comedy Night

Donkey Club

Ouija Believe It! – Talk to Dead Relatives

Adults Only Bouncy Castle and Ball Pit

Improv Massage

Sports Clubs

Don’t Take A Fence – Fencing Society

Arrow There! Archery Club

Squash Til You Drop

Badminton Battlers

Football (5,11, 32 a-side)

Indoor Bowls

Better Indoor Bowls

Best Indoor Bowls Ever

Games and Hobbies Groups

Chess Sharks

Can’t Go Wrong with Mahjong

A Bridge Club Too Far

Mega Pontoon

Canastards

Dungeons and Dragons and Farrowly

Tiddlywinkers

Charades! Charades! Charades!

Boggles The Mind – Boggle Club

The Hopscotch Elite

Wink Murderers

Adults Indoor Drop-In Racing

Other Village Clubs and Societies

Farrowly Nut Club

Farrowly Flickers

Farrowly Lookers

Farrowly Googlers

Farrowly Movers

Farrowly Shakers

Farrowly Grinders

Farrowly Nitpickers

Farrowly Ukulele County Kings Entertainment Rehearsal Space

Farrowly Villains

Farrowly Love Slaves

Across the Room – Fun with Shouting

Wow Tractors!

Pitch Slapped - Village Choir

Fun Til Dawn

Gary, Can You Hear Me?

Your Truth or Mine

Dougie Done Good

Basket Weavers

Basket Unweavers

Make a Puppet, Make it Count

Jan Leeming Society

How Low Can You Get - Bass Players Club

Q&A with David Appleby

Cake Club

After Hours Club

MOT Failure Discussion Group

Mainly Birds & Bugs - Wildlife Photography Group

Doctor for a Day

Sit & Knit

High Society Society

Plant Talk – Talking About, and to, plants.

Shave Each Other

Fairy Boxing

Kings of Farrowly

Dragons Den Filming (unofficial)

Jumble Jungle

Dental Gym

“Get Real” with Paul & Andy

Bumble Fun

Let’s All Look @ Sally

Farrowly Mayors’ Week

29th May – 4th June

A week of Mayor-centric activities at the Village Hall, ran by his campaign team and open to all members of the community who want to get to know “the man in charge” (on legal advise, he’s no longer referring to himself in public as “The Governor”).

Please Note: To keep ticket costs down, and to avoid paying author royalty fees, titles of some productions have been slightly altered. But we assure you the content is, for the most part, EXACTY THE SAME as you would see in a professional theatre (possibly not the set dressing or acting ability).

Farrowly Village Hall Spring Festival

Farrowly’s only OFFICAL week-long celebration of spring, in and around the village hall. (Weekdays only)

6pm start – Come to the hall, collect your scorecards and then scour the village, moving from landmark to landmark by following the clues, before going back to the hall for dinner and prizes.

First clue: Stand in the desert, close your eyes, a thousand souls bring forth your demise (answer: Grace the News Agents).

Farrowly Summer Sensation - 17th – 23rd July

Farrowly Celebrates a Week of Summer (we are aware that Summer is actually longer than just one week) These are mainly outdoor activities associated with the village hall so it can be used for the toilets, and by agreeing to this, it lets us advertise these event as part of our summer schedule, even though we didn’t organise them.

Possible Wet-weather alternative activities to take place inside the hall:

·Sing-along (Ging gang Goolie, or something like that).

·Help Sort out the Jumble.

·Marvel at the newly painted walls.

·Catch-the-bat.

·Mass charades.

·Store cupboard sardines.

·Deciphering toilet graffiti.

·Sports equipment and crockery inventory check.

·Ian Waverly Pyramid Scheme introduction.

·Ken Peelers Lecture – The definitive history of rained-off Summer events in at the Farrowley village Hall.

·Frozen 2 on DVD (32 inch TV required).

Back by Popular Demand! Tremendously successful last year, so we’re doing it again. Those who remember the culprit from last year will have an advantage.

About Farrowly

Tucked away in the heart of the English countryside, the village of Farrowly is a rich tapestry of history, tradition, and culture.

Church records show that Farrowly was originally an Anglo-Saxon settlement born of agriculture, that pre-dates the Norman Conquest – by about three weeks. Farrowly’s crucial location along a major trade route allowed the village to flourish for centuries, until it was moved in the 1800s (the trade route, not Farrowly).

A walk through the village of Farrowly can feel like walking through history itself. Much of Farrowly’s inherent charm remains intact thanks to its status as a ward of both English Heritage and the National Trust. The splendid blend of Tudor, Elizabethan and Georgian architecture provides an aesthetic that has seen its breathtaking houses twice rejected by semi-millionaires on the BBC hit TV show Escape to the Country (either two different houses or the same house twice, you’d have to check). Such splendour is embellished by iconic landmarks including the charming spire of St. Jaspers church, the Shepherds Rest, purported to be the smallest pub in the county, and the iconic, Milner’s duck pond, which nestles in the middle of the village green and is home to our beloved Amos, recently crowned “Most Aggressive Duck in the World”, in both national press and local police reports.

For generations the picturesque majesty of this village, its hillside backdrop, adorned with some of the finest woodland in all of England, has inspired both poetry and artwork alike. This is mainly due to an ongoing element of the Farrowly Primary School curriculum which is titled Write a poem about/draw a picture of your favourite thing about Farrowly.

Tradition is rife in the village, and Farrowly is staunchly passionate about its heritage. The Summer Fete has taken place every year for decades, even defying two world wars (along with the angry criticism and poor attendance that accompanied them). Rain has never stopped the May Day Gathering from taking place on the village green, hosepipe bans have never hindered the Best-Kept Garden Competition, and the Miss Farrowly Beauty Pageant has taken place annually, even when the pool of entries in a particular year didn’t really make it seem like it was worth it.

Even with its love of tradition, the village is a hive of progression and a diverse culture. Homegrown talent is abundant and can easily be found, be it in art exhibitions, belly-dancing lessons, local folk singers playing to packed-out pubs, or the village amateur dramatics society, that never seems to fail to put on a self-penned production – once a month. EVERY Month. EVERY SINGLE MONTH. Plus, there’s a lot of farming that goes on around here too.

Tradition, culture, and identity are all thriving in Farrowly.

On this page we have listed just some of the many successful independent businesses that can be found populating Farrowly’s busy High Street (that aren’t coffee shops, charity shops or tobacconists).

The following businesses have been singled out for recommendation based on reputation, customer satisfaction, or because they have provided sponsorship to either the hall or activities carried out within it, so we’re contractually obliged to mention them on this site.

Explore these sites, and you’ll discover a warm and welcoming community with an entrepreneurial spirit, and an abundance to offer in terms of hospitality and fun.

The final link is to the website for Dangerous Ray’s self-defence Classes. We are including this site purely to reflect the diversity of small businesses that are thriving in our village. We are definitely not endorsing any suggestion that residents of Farrowly need to know how to defend themselves against street-level violence. We cannot stress this enough!

The Buttercup Splendour

Quiz Farrowly

Dangerous Ray

If you want to engage with this site, here’s how to do it - on our terms.

• The content of this site is considered to be true and accurate at the time of publishing, based on all submissions and bookings received. If we’ve spelt your new married name wrong when listing your wedding reception, it’s because YOU didn’t know how to spell it when you made the booking.

• Please submit all booking requests and announcements via the correct channels (telephone, email, dropping into the hall and speaking to us directly). We do not have a Snapchat account, the one which is on that platform is a fake and nothing to do with us. We don’t know where any personal messages to that account go, so can’t honour a booking for a wake we didn’t know about until a grieving family turned-up out of the blue.

• The content of this website is copyright protected, for reference only, and cannot be copied or redistributed without the express permission of the site owner. Come up with your own stories Farrowly Herald, you advert-saturated excuse of a newspaper.