Ongar and District Community Association Events:
• Our next Live at the Budworth event is on Saturday November 14th when we are delighted to present
Brentwood Mac, a charismatic musical ensemble dedicated to bringing the timeless melodies of
Fleetwood Mac to life. Tickets are selling fast with over half sold already. Save the date and
purchase your tickets ASAP from www.brentwoodmac.co.uk. Full details and ticket link available on
our website and social media pages.
• Our last Comedy Club Night was yet again a sell-out. Tickets are available for the next one on Friday
11th September at www.laughingchili.co.uk (scroll down to find Ongar) or via the link on our website.
Don’t be disappointed – Put the date in your diary and get your tickets early.
Updates and News
ODCA are delighted to welcome some new regular hirers to The Budworth Hall. Please contact them directly
for further information.
• Kate Tozer – Step Fitness class on Tuesday evenings- Info@stepfit.org
• Amanda Bolding – Dance Factory adult tap dancing on Tuesday mornings – 07976786404
• Sherlock Norville – Kizomba dance events monthly – platinumhair10@gmail.com
We are sure you will be as delighted as we are that our iconic clock is now working again following an
extensive and costly repair. It is wonderful to see it keeping the correct time once more after being stopped at
12 o’clock for so long. Sincere thanks to Ongar Town Council for awarding us a grant to help towards the
expensive repair.
A Brief History of Budworth Hall Part 6
In 1925, the building required extensive renovation. To help fund the work, a Garden Fête was organised,
raising enough money to repaint the Ballroom and undertake some essential repairs ensuring the Hall could
continue to serve the local community.
During the Second World War, Budworth Hall once again played an important role in supporting the war
effort. In May 1940, troops were billeted in the Ballroom, Concert Hall, and Committee Room. In February
1941, the upstairs Concert Hall and Committee Room were requisitioned for use as a rest centre for
evacuees. In 1942, Budworth Hall took on another important wartime role when it became home to a British
Restaurant. British Restaurants were government-supported community dining centres established to
provide nutritious, low-cost meals to civilians during food rationing and bombing. Despite the name, they
were not commercial restaurants, but a public service introduced by the UK government’s Ministry of Food.
More on British Restaurants next month
Budworth Hall reopened for public use on 1 April 1946.
Hire and Contact details
For enquiries regarding hiring our facilities, please email budworthhall-ongar@outlook.com or call 07918
462959 if email isn’t available.
Visit www.budworthhall.co.uk for photographs, information about the Hall, upcoming events and venue
availability.
Nerissa and Claire’s coffee bar and restaurant is open Tuesday to Saturday.
Jane Battersby for The Ongar and District Community Association.