Welcome to The Barbour Institute

The Barbour Institute has been Tattenhall's Village Hall since 1898 and has served the village throughout the intervening years in many ways. A place for Parish Council Meetings, sporting activities including snooker and badminton and during the Great War of 1914-1918 it was requisitioned as an Army Hospital.

Its uses have expanded and grown over the last 120 years and it has always been a welcome venue for Tattenhall Amateur Dramatics Society and their many superb productions... it becomes a "theatre in the village". Today it is home to many activities and groups that cater from tiny tots through to every age group and interest. A hub for the village it hosts parties, celebrations and music concerts and is the focus of village life during Remembrance in November and Christmas. All rooms are well appointed and the Trustees are devoted to constant upgrading and improvements. Brides and Grooms are discovering how beautifully the building converts to a rural wedding venue.

After the most difficult 2020-2021 period, dealing with the Covid 19 pandemic, we are all looking forward to welcoming our groups and societies and seasonal events back to the Barbour again, bringing it back to life and returning to a pivotal role in our village.

Anne McGrath (Trustee)

Letter from the Chair of the Trustees August 2021

A Slow Return to Normality

Thank you for visiting our newly redesigned website. We hope it has all the information you need to make a booking but if there is anything you want to ask, please contact the office by email or telephone. Our aim is always to provide excellent service to all our customers.

As I write this letter at the end of July 2021, Covid-19 restrictions have been lifted and the Barbour Institute is now fully open for business. In practice, this means that the Trustees advise that face coverings in the building are a matter of personal choice and that we are no longer operating a one-way system or enforcing social distancing. Hand sanitisers will remain in place, however, and regular cleaning will take place to ensure the safety of our users. We have re-opened the kitchen and all the toilets and the rooms can now be booked for the appropriate number of people according to the fire regulations.

Government guidance now places the emphasis on personal responsibility and we will be reminding those who hire our rooms that they must take account of what their groups require in terms of face coverings and social distancing.

The ambition of the Trustees is to provide the facilities for all groups in the village to use, whatever their interest or focus. If you would like to see something different or feel that something could be improved, please let us know. Feedback is most important in keeping the Barbour Institute relevant for today's customers.

You will see that new classes are starting up which is good news for the Barbour Institute and for the community. The regular groups are also considering when they will feel comfortable to meet in person with September being the goal for many. There are concerts, weddings and parties in the pipeline but there is always room for more so please do get in touch with the office if you are planning a family event or a celebration.

Of course, the past eighteen months have been challenging for all businesses and the Barbour Institute is no exception. We have had to dip into our ever decreasing reserves to keep the building open with the bills paid, and regular safety checks undertaken. Normally, the Trustees rely on fund raising to top up the bank account but understandably, there is some caution around holding a Jumble Sale at the present time. Rest assured, we will be holding one as soon as possible but realistically, this will be in Spring 2022.

One of our fund raising efforts is the 200 Club which has been running for a few years now. Membership is easy and very reasonable, working out at just £5 a month, with the chance of winning a cash prize each month, £500 in April and £1500 in October. The Club makes a small profit each year which generally goes towards improving facilities. We aspire to reach 200 members but would be delighted to make a round hundred so if you haven't joined yet, please think about it. You can find details on the fund raising section of the website, or call the office for information.

Finally, but most importantly, the Barbour Institute is run by a small band of Trustees who take responsibility for the maintenance, finance and viability of the building. To say that we are all over retirement age would be an understatement and the future of Tattenhall's Village Hall depends on us recruiting a new generation of Trustees with a little time to spare and new skills to offer. Please think about getting involved or suggesting it to someone you know who might be interested.

Pat Black