Happiness Hall

Sir Ken Dodd Happiness Hall for St John’s Church and Community

To make a Hall Booking click here.

St Johns Church Hall worked hard for many years - 184 to be precise.

Starting life in 1837 as the community school for the poor of the area, it stayed in use as a community school till the 1950’s and then continued to serve the community by hosting a number of community groups. However, age took its inevitable toll and, in July 2018, we were told the hall was not fit for purpose.

However, thanks to the kindness and generosity of The Ken Dodd Charitable Foundation and Lady Anne the hall has been saved. As Anne has said Ken would have loved the transformation and preservation of his old school.

Transformation

The hall has been extended to provide a bright, warm and airy space that can be used as one large hall or, if required, be sub-divided off into smaller, discrete areas for groups to use.

The original beamed roof has been preserved and has become a real focal point of the main hall. Extensions have greatly increased the floor space with their full length glass panels throwing light into the hall whilst also providing a wonderful view of the church.

Facilities

There is a full catering style kitchen to allow food to be prepared, enabling larger scale events to take place and a café area which can be used by groups hiring the hall.

Bespoke benches line the walls of the extensions along with storage cupboards for user groups.

There is a state-of-the-art sound system throughout the building, a projection area and a modern, energy efficient heating system.

Outside we have a dedicated off-road car parking area and cycle storage rack.