Archive for category: News

Grayshott Village Hall, one of the area’s most important community facilities, has completed a major heating upgrade with the installation of new energy-efficient boilers and controls.

The Hall welcomes around 29,000 users each year and hosts more than 2,100 booked sessions for over 100 local organisations. From fitness classes and theatre groups to health clinics, community events and private celebrations, the Hall serves residents from Grayshott, Hindhead, Haslemere and surrounding villages.

The previous heating system, parts of which were more than 40 years old, had become increasingly unreliable and inefficient. The new high-efficiency boilers will provide a warmer, more comfortable environment while significantly reducing energy consumption, carbon emissions and ongoing maintenance costs. Improved heating controls will also allow only occupied rooms to be heated, avoiding unnecessary energy use.

The project will help safeguard the long-term sustainability of the Hall, enabling trustees to keep hire charges affordable and continue investing in future improvements that benefit the community. Reliable and accessible facilities are particularly important for older residents, young families and local voluntary groups, helping the Hall maintain its role as a year-round hub for health, wellbeing and social connection.

The Trustees of Grayshott Village Hall are grateful to East Hampshire District Council for its £20,000 Developer Contributions grant towards the cost of the project, which was completed in August.

Councillor Angela Glass, Portfolio Holder for Regulation & Enforcement, said: “Developer contributions play a vital role in ensuring that new growth directly benefits our communities. This is an excellent project and a fantastic use of Community Infrastructure Levy funding. I am delighted that we have been able to support improvements to a village hall that is so well used by local residents.”

The Trustees are also grateful for grants received from the National Lottery Community Fund (£20,000), Grayshott Parish Council (£10,000) and Haslemere Town Council (£15,000)

Grayshott Parish Council is preparing to begin a small but meaningful improvement project at Beacon View Parade, aimed at making the pavement safer, wider, and more welcoming for everyone who uses this busy stretch of shops.

For many years, the Council has supported planting in the three low beds along the Parade. While these beds have added greenery to the area, they also create a narrow walking route that can be difficult to navigate—particularly for wheelchair users, pushchairs, and anyone who needs a little more space and stability underfoot. The layout also makes maintenance challenging for our dedicated team of volunteer gardeners and has unfortunately become a hotspot for litter and dog waste.

The new scheme will replace the existing planted beds with level, accessible paving to open up the pavement and improve the flow of foot traffic. To ensure greenery and seating remain part of the streetscape, the project will introduce a raised steel planter with integrated bench seating. This design offers several benefits:

• More pavement space for pedestrians, mobility aids, and families with pushchairs
• A comfortable seating point for shoppers and residents
• Lifted, manageable planting that supports our green‑fingered volunteers
• Reduced litter and dog waste, thanks to the removal of hard‑to‑maintain ground‑level beds

These improvements reflect the Council’s ongoing commitment to accessibility, safety, and pride in our village environment. Works are expected to begin soon.

The Parish Council want to extend our grateful thanks to Hidden Gardens of Grayshott and Grayshott Gardeners for generously providing grant funding for this project.

 

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