HALL HOPES RISING FROM BLAZE ASHES

Work has begun on a £300,000 project to rebuild a village hall destroyed by fire.

The hall, in Ferry Road, Fiskerton, near Lincoln, was gutted by the blaze – which was caused by an electrical fault – in April 2002.

But the rebuilding work has been delayed due to funding problems.

Funding for the project has come in from Lincolnshire County Council, West Lindsey District Council, the Big Lottery Fund and the Wren Waste Recycling Group.

But the village hall management committee had to wait until they had received a grant from Lincolnshire Development – who have a special purse for such projects – before the work could start.

Committee chairman Andrew Cooke said he hoped the work would be completed by March next year.

He added that villagers had also worked hard to raise money.

“It’s been a long, hard slog for the last two years or more,” he said.

“We had secured funding from a number of sources but the building costs went up so we didn’t have enough. It was devastating news but we managed to get the money eventually.”

Mr Cooke said the hall was widely used by people in the village.

“I think a village hall for a place like this is vital,” he said.

“Lots of groups used it and they have had to go elsewhere since it burned down.

“There is a luncheon club and a band and they have both had to use the pre-school around the corner.

“Hopefully this will all be a blessing in disguise because we will have a nice new hall with all the mod cons.”

Luncheon club organiser Mary Pycock (64) said the group is looking forward to using the hall again.

“It will be so nice to be able use a new kitchen,” she said. “We have been using the pre-school but there are about 30 of us so it gets a bit cramped sometimes.”

Band member Daniel Houlding (15) said his group will also use the hall.

“We practise twice a week,” he said. “We were delighted when we heard it was going to be rebuilt.”