AN attempt by residents to get a brand new village hall is gathering pace.

Ermington is one of the few villages in the area that does not currently have a hall.

Instead, the village has an old two-storey building called the Reading Rooms that was left to the parish many years ago. The building has no parking facilities and no useable ground floor, and access up old stone steps is difficult, particularly for disabled people.

The Reading Rooms are also too small for many village activities, and are in a state of disrepair. The building would require a great deal of expenditure and expansion if its use was to be continued.

Ermington Parish Council has been looking at options for a village hall for a number of years and last year set up a working group to look at getting one.

A survey was carried out of the needs of residents and community groups, along with a site option appraisal to find the most suitable location.

After examining factors like parking, access, location and impact on neighbours a new build on the edge of the playing fields was the option recommended by the working group. The next best option was found to be renovating and refurbishing the existing Reading Rooms.

Ermington Parish Council will now have to decide how to take the project forward, taking the working group’s recommendations into account.

Although the parish council has funds available from various sources, more will have to be raised if the vilaage hall dream is to be realised. The next big fundraising event planned is a concert by Steve Knightley of the well known folk duo Show of Hands.

The gig is taking place at Modbury Memorial Hall on Saturday, January 28, with tickets available from Pickles Hardware Shop in Modbury, The Crooked Spire, or Ermington Sustainable Saturdays. Doors open at 6.45pm, and all proceeds go towards the Ermington Village Hall Project.