WORK has begun to restore an “antiquated” village hall to its former glory.

Trustees at Headington Quarry Village Hall have been cleaning and making improvements to the hall every weekend since a new management committee was set up in December last year.

This has included cutting grass, cleaning windows and washing curtains because they want to see it used again as a facility for the whole community.

The hall is mainly used by the Kiddies Korner day nursery group, but also hosts a bingo group on Monday night, the Oxford Fiddle Group on Tuesday night and an exercise weight group on Friday night.

But hall trustees chairwoman Roz Smith said upgrading the facilities would allow the hall to be more widely used.

In the past the village hall, which dates back to 1933, has been used as a meeting place for Scouts, Girl Guides, a school classroom, a nursery with day care, WI meetings, wedding receptions, Sunday school, harvest lunches and children’s parties.

Trustee Diana Pfetscher added: “There’s some pretty pre-war stuff in there at the moment, some horrible rooms and an antiquated heating system.

“We need to bring it back to scratch, clean it up and get some insulation in it. We want to make it more sustainable, as it could be made a whole lot nicer.”

Ms Smith said a building surveyor was now needed to help advise the group.

Ms Smith, who is also Oxford county councillor for Headington and Quarry, said: “What we want is to get it inspected so it can be opened for everyone in the community.

“A £38,000 grant for disabled toilet facilities has been requested to Oxfordshire County Council.

A £10,000 energy audit grant is being considered for the hall by the Trust of Oxford Environment organisation and they will make a decision in September after a site visit.

She also hoped the stage would attract drama groups. “It’s a big building and it would be great to bring the stage back into use. I would love to see a drama club starting up at the hall,” Ms Smith said Fellow trustee Diana Pfetscher agreed.

She said: “It would be great to get the stage up to scratch again.

“We have a fundraising day provisionally planned for Saturday, September 14, where we’re going to have coffee and cakes on sale in the hall so people can have a look round and to raise awareness among locals.”

The Headington Quarry Village Hall management committee is made up of representatives from the Friends of Quarry, Holy Trinity Church, Cornerstone Church, the Quarry Nursery, Windmill School and the Quarry Women’s Institute.