Our group, Friends of Ramsbottom Civic Hall (FORCH), was set up in 2007 as the local community’s response to the threat of Hall closure. We have a formal partnership agreement with Bury Council to help manage the building and its surroundings.
We began working with the Council and Hall users to help with improvements and maintenance of the Civic Hall, and in 2009 we were involved in obtaining funding for the major refurbishment of the venue’s interior.
Main Hall
Garden and Courtyard
FORCH’s vision for the garden and the Hall’s courtyard to be fantastic extra facilities was realised after various local groups worked along with Council staff on the development of the garden areas: the Hawkshaw Flower Club and Speakeasy, Marshalls, and particularly the Alpine Garden Society. More planting complemented the Alpine Garden Society’s garden, which by 2016 was well established. Hard landscaping had been carried out by the Council and the courtyard and the rear of the Hall were surrounded by garden areas stocked with a wide variety of well-chosen shrubs and plants.
The Hall’s New Garden and Courtyard 2014
Civic Hall Gardens 2014
Garden Feature provided by Hall User Group 2014
In the Hall Courtyard after the AGM 2016
The Civic Hall garden is an important achievement and we are very grateful to all those who worked so hard and continued to carry out maintenance. Our hope is that it will eventually be established as a community garden with plans for its improvement and maintenance.
Although it is still an attractive outdoor space, providing much pleasure and encouraging Hall bookings, it has suffered from the recent unavoidable neglect.
Improvements
Over the years FORCH has also been able to help with smaller matters:
The installation of the Hall’s original cast iron lamppost in the courtyard.
Replacement of the large sign at the front of the Hall
New CH sign
The new bar carpet, which FORCH and a generous donation from local manufacturer Cormar Carpets funded.
A new sound system
A defibrillator for the Hall in 2019, presented to FORCH by member Phillip Warren of Mersey Medical Services Ltd. Bury Council took responsibility for its installation and maintenance.
