Village history

It was not, as he states, the school building which was condemned, but the old village hall which for decades had been hired for daily use by the school and without which the school could notfunction as its own building was too small.

The old hall had significant and worsening health and safety issues which were highlighted by governors, parents and the National Union of Teachers, causing the building to be condemned as being unsuitable for children; this was not disputed by the hall committee and we offered a rent-free site for portacabins close by to accommodate the children while a new hall and hopefully school were being built,the latter on a designated new site.

This offer was declined by the county council on the grounds of expense, and all decisions relating to the subsequent fate of the school were made by the county council, not the parish council, based on the conditions prevailing at the time.

The school building was later purchased by the village hall committee for the community and currently it is let for two days per week to the Alzheimer’s Society for social and respite care; it can also be hired at other times. The building has been modestly renovated internally as some improvements were required, butithasnever at any timebeencondemned for any reason whatsoever.

Also, contrary to Mr Lowey’s implications, the new village hall hosts many activities in addition to the coffee mornings. He cannot have visited it yet, otherwise he would know that it has its own car park, plus parking in front of the old school and on the street; and the neighbourly spirit of nearby residents has meant that some private drives can be occasionally used for large events.

Most oftheabovedetailshavebeen documented over the years in village hall newsletters thatI have personallydeliveredtoMrLowey’shome.Ifhe would like to visit the new hall and the oldschool,I wouldbedelightedto show him round.

Dr GILLIAN R WIGHT chairman, Sutton Village Hall Committee, Sutton-under-Whitestonecliffe, Thirsk