Budworth Hall: A Hall with History and a Community Gem
Contrary to popular belief, Budworth Hall is not a council-run facility. Built in 1886 and named after Captain Budworth, it was gifted to Ongar for the benefit of its residents—it’s your local village hall!
In 1887 the clock was added to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee, and the ballroom was added in 1910. Budworth Hall has been managed by the Ongar and District Community Association, an independent charity, since 1968. A volunteer team work hard to maintain and improve your hall, and make it affordable for a large family occasion, a wedding, or maybe for a business event. Visit our website: www.budworthhall.co.uk to explore our photo gallery, learn more about our history, view regular clubs and events, and check our hire rates.
Maintaining Budworth Hall costs around £3,500 per month. While we have been lucky to obtain grants to support major projects like accessibility upgrades, we rely on community bookings to sustain and improve the hall. Why not book your next event in the newly refurbished ballroom?
Forthcoming Ongar and District Community Association Events
Tea Dance on March 6th 2025, 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Comedy Club Night on March 7th, 2025. These nearly always sell out so don’t’ miss out. Book your tickets today at www.laughingchili.co.uk (scroll down to find Ongar) or through the link on our website. Doors and bar open at 7:30 PM, with the show starting at 8:30 PM.
Other News and Updates
Ballroom update – By the time you read this, our refurbishment will be complete, and from what we’ve seen so far, it looks amazing! We would like to thank the Essex Heritage Trust for their grant to assist with the removal of the pelmet in the ballroom, a major part of the current work.
A Budworth Hall Open Day is planned for April (date to be announced), a chance to explore the newly transformed ballroom and discover all that Budworth Hall has to offer!
A heartfelt thank you to our regular hirers and attendees for their patience during January and February. We appreciate your flexibility with venue changes and revised schedules. Thank you also to those who have hired our other rooms during this time. We hope you’ll agree that it was well worth the wait
We would love you to join our team. You don’t have to commit to being a committee member. Why not become a “Friend of Budworth Hall” and help us serve tea and coffee at our senior events? Or perhaps you would consider sharing any skills or spare time you have? Every contribution makes a difference. If you’re interested in making a positive impact, please get in touch—we’d love to hear from you!
Stay updated on events via our social media and notice boards
Hire and Contact details: –
The Ballroom, Concert Hall, Committee Room, and Bar Area are available for hire 7 days a week at competitive rates. For enquiries, please email budworthhall-ongar@outlook.com with your name, telephone number, and enquiry details. If you have no access to email, you can call us on 07918 462959, and leave a message. Someone will get back to you as soon as possible.
If you are thinking of starting a weekly or regular event, please contact us and arrange to have a look at our facilities.
The onsite Coffee Bar and Restaurant is run by Nerissa and Claire and is open Tuesday to Saturday.
Jane Battersby for The Ongar and District Community Association.