AN EAST Oxford hall where comedy legend Ronnie Barker made his debut could reopen in two months.

Work to revamp the Cowley Road hall belonging to St Mary and St John Church began in May after the congregation raised more than £115,000.

The Grade II listed building was once home to amateur dramatic group Theatre Players, where Ronnie Barker had his first taste of showbusiness.

Project coordinator John Hammock said work to reopen the hall could finish next month, with plans for a grand opening on October 22.

He added: “We are moving along. It’s amazing. The community should feel a sense of accomplishment because it’s going to look beautiful and is going to be a nice space for everyone.”

Oxford Mail:

Ronnie Barker

Churchgoers united in 2013 to bring the hall back to life after it had been out of action for about eight years.

Mr Hammock said hall renovations are going well despite construction company Cherwell Oxford Ltd finding unexpected problems, including windows needing refurbishment.

Workers have removed rotten floor boards, installed underfloor heating, and cleaned and painted ceilings. New kitchen facilities and toilets and new floors are yet to go in.

After seeing the Victorian building’s new sparkling ceilings Mr Hammock, 70, said: “All of a sudden it became a reality. I have been working on all the details but I never thought what it might look like.

“You get a sense this is a really beautiful building.”

Grandfather-of-three Mr Hammock said the renovated hall would be a community hub in East Oxford and could again be a venue for drama groups.

Mr Hammock hopes more people will put forward ideas before project members meet next month to discuss future uses, such as meetings, exercise classes and lunch clubs.

He added: “It’s important to have a place for the community to meet, a safe place.”

Cash for the hall’s revamp came from fundraising and grants, including not-for-profit environmental body Wren, Garfield Foundation and the Trust for Oxfordshire’s Environment.

Ronnie Barker, famous for roles in Porridge, Open All Hours and The Two Ronnies, died of heart failure at Adderbury’s Katherine House Hospice in 2005.

For a number of years after retiring from showbusiness, he ran a Chipping Norton antiques shop.

Comedian Hugh Dennis, who presented a BBC documentary on Barker in 2013, backs the project.

He said: “Church halls can be a fantastic resource for the public. I am delighted that this one is to be refurbished. It will make a huge difference.”

For information about the hall, email enquiries@ssmjhall.org