A village hall with over 100 years of history has been brought up to date for the 21st Century thanks to investment under our Principal Towns and Local Centres Programme.

Great Houghton Miners’ Welfare Hall has benefited from a new roof, upgraded kitchen facilities and LED lighting throughout.

The works led by local company O&P Construction also included improving wheelchair access, adding an office extension, redecorating the hall and protecting a cellar used for storage from damp.

This is all part of our work to enhance and modernise facilities at village halls and community venues across Barnsley.

Sustainability is at the heart of this programme, and the works at Great Houghton will help save on energy costs. This will help in turn to keep rental fees down for people hiring the venue.

Cabinet spokesperson for regeneration and culture, Cllr Robin Franklin, said: “The miners’ welfare hall has been a popular venue since it opened back in 1923. We are pleased to be able to safeguard its future for generations to come.

“We want to ensure our communities are thriving and connected, and I’m sure everyone in Great Houghton will welcome the outcome of these works.

“The hall hosts a range of activities such as keep fit, sequence dancing, bingo and a youth club, and I hope that these improvements will attract even more people to use it.”

The Mayor of Barnsley, Cllr John Clarke, performed the official reopening of the welfare hall, which is managed by Great Houghton Parish Council.

Cllr Dorothy Coates, chair of Great Houghton Parish Council, said: “The works we’ve had to the Welfare Hall are brilliant.

“The new roof, insulation, LED lighting and energy-efficient appliances will help us to keep costs down and ensure people can keep coming through our doors.

“We are grateful to the council for funding this transformation through the Principal Towns and Local Centres Programme. The welfare hall has been standing for over 100 years, and this will set us up for the next 100.”

We have already invested more than £5 million into our six Principal Towns and ten Local Village Centres, with further investment ongoing to help them thrive.

Find out more about how we’re investing in our principal towns and local village centres and how you can get involved in your community at barnsley.gov.uk/principaltowns.

Caption: The Mayor of Barnsley, Cllr John Clarke, performs the official reopening of Great Houghton Miners' Welfare Hall.

Notes to editors

High-resolution versions of these images are available on request.