Haslemere Hall

The large stage has facilities for flying scenery and there is a modern computer controlled lighting and sound system. Below the stage is a basement which can be accessed by a trap door, great for an exciting entrance be it hero or villain. There are also ample backstage dressing rooms including a Green Room and accessible toilet. We boast a 4K Cinema Projection with 5.1 Dolby Surround and have re

gular showings of recent films and broadcasts from The National Theatre. As a multipurpose building it is also used for lectures, meetings, and hosting events. We even have a licensed bar! All in one building in walking distance from Haslemere Train Station. Our History:

The Hall was made possible by a local benefactor by the name of Barclay Lewis Day, who was living in Haslemere back in 1912. He decided to build a Hall with his own money, and he invited well known architects to submit their plans in a competition for the best design. The competition was judged by a prominent member of the Royal Institute of British Architects, and the winning design was by Annesley Brownrigg F.R.I.B.A. Building work started in 1912 and the Hall was officially opened in 1914. The opening coincided with the outbreak of World War 1 and for the first four years of its life the Hall was requisitioned by the War Office and used as a drill hall for the troops. At the end of the war in 1918 Barclay Lewis Day announced that he was presenting the Hall “to the people of Haslemere”, as a gift. A plaque at the base of the staircase commemorates this most generous gift. Ever since then the Hall has been run completely independently by a Board Of Trustees set up originally by the then Ministry of Education. The Trustees are representative of the Civil, Religious, and Educational life of the town and its various performing Societies. The Hall receives no endowments or State Grants. Until recently its only source of income came from lettings to those who want to use the Hall and from individual “Friends of Haslemere Hall”. There is a small Annual Grant from the Local Authority but in recent years this been cut back. A building that is approaching 100 years of age is constantly requiring attention in the form of repairs and renewals. Improvements and modernisation work are undertaken as funds permit. To this end the “Friends of Haslemere Hall” has been set up to which all those who wish to contribute as subscribers, may do so. The Trustees are always mindful of their responsibility and obligation to maintain the Hall, and of their debt to Barclay Day who provided such a valuable amenity for the future generations of Haslemere citizens.