Locals face ‘ultimatum’ to keep venue within the community

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Local residents are scrambling to keep an ‘essential’ venue within community ownership after being given a one year ultimatum to raise enough funds to buy it.

All Hallows Hall in Easton is privately owned but has been run by the local community for the past nine years.

Under the management of the All Hallows Community Cooperative, the space has been the venue of theatre, live music, craft markets, charity fundraisers and even a ping pong parlour.

But the group now have a year’s deadline to raise enough money for the deposit, otherwise it will be put on the market by the landlord.

All Hallows Hall was built 130 years ago and was designed in a perpendicular, gothic revival style – photo: Betty Woolerton

In an attempt to keep All Hallows Hall within the grasp of the community, locals hope to transform it into “one of Bristol’s most epic venues”.

Local artist Luke Egan is among the group leading the charge to retain the hall by transforming it into a possible music and recreation space.

He told Bristol24/7: “The landlord wants to support the community centre but has laid down a one year deadline for the community centre collective to put down a deposit and ultimately buy the building before it goes onto the market and is turned into a builders yard or flats.”

The hall has already been sound proofed and acoustically treated, with money raised to fund it through a music event in December which was so successful another AHH FUNK RAISER is being planned for February 26.

Luke said: “Achieving this and virtually paying for it in one event night was a total miracle, made possible only by the efforts volunteered by a bunch of really talented members of the community.”

In December, the venue was brought to life by Luke’s, aka Filthy Luker, inflatable artworks – photo: Luke Egan

Designed by the same architect that designed Wills Memorial Building Sir George Oatley, the Grade II-listed building has been put to use in a variety of ways since it was built 130 years ago.

During the pandemic, the space was the main site for Community Care Package, an initiative that saw the gathering, boxing and distributing food to low income families by staff furloughed from the pub The Plough down the road.

It also saw the building of Sleep Pods, a design initiative that creates life-saving portable shelters for homeless people.

The Plough Community Care Package scheme began as the UK went into lockdown and delivered thousands of veg boxes to those who needed them – photo: Yvonne Deeney

However, the community are worried these activities might not be able to continue if the building is sold-off.

Dave Lovatt, part of the group trying to save All Hallows Hall, said: “It’s absolutely vital that we have these community bases, especially since the pandemic.

“There’s lots of people that come here wanting to chip in and help us buy the building. But with everybody being voluntary, it’s slow.

“It’s a big undertaking, but the way we see it is that if we find enough people to do their bit, then it shares the workload.”

Luke added: “We are now trying to keep the momentum going with another fundraiser event on February 26. It’s been hard work but fun and will hopefully become one of Bristol’s most epic venues.”

For tickets for the fundraiser, visit https://www.headfirstbristol.co.uk/#date=2022-02-26&event_id=70715

The next fundraiser is being held on February 26 – image: All Hallows Hall Facebook

Main photo: Betty Woolerton

Read more: 300 objections made against all hallows hall redevelopment plans

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