Community, Parish Council & Village
This picture update shows some progress made on the car park over the past week, with some photos taken by Doldens. We are beginning to see the benefit of separating the hall from the car park already, with the new kerbing redefining the relationship between the building and the tarmac. We sometimes don’t appreciate the aesthetics of the original hall design, and the revised car park treatment will bring this out. Life isn’t only about functionality and low maintenance!
Yesterday marked the start of works to renew the surface of the Orpen Hall Car Park. The Parish Council (PC) has appointed Groupbridge contractors to carry out the work following a tender exercise carried out in June and approved at June’s PC meeting.
Over the years the car park surface has gradually deteriorated and settlement over the last 10 years has resulted in ponding and puddles occurring after heavy rain. The surface is in fact very poor in places such that a lot of repairs will be needed prior to the new surface being applied. In addition to the new Tarmac surface some further drainage will be added to ensure that rainwater is collected and distributed either to new soakaways or to new French drains that will be installed along the longest edges of the car park.
After resurfacing the Orpen Hall car park will be re-lined and two sets of cycle parking stands installed near the entrances to the halls; disabled parking bays will be provided and ramps installed to ensure the hall is DDA compliant. A further feature will be to separate the car park surface from the main building to enhance the appearance of the hall. Planting will take place around the outside of the hall to soften the hard edges of the car park and building. A plan of the finished car park is shown below or you can click the following link for the most recent full size construction plan in PDF form – Orpen Hall car parking layout.
Co-ordination of the work is being undertaken by Doldens who are acting as agents to the PC and supervising the works. It is not anticipated that the work will unduly inconvenience the community since the work will coincide with the school holidays and at a time when the hall is not so heavily used. Access to the halls will not be affected and the repair work will be undertaken in two phases such that there is as much parking available at any one time as is possible. During this time one of the entrances will be out of action so as to isolate a portion of the car park for the works to take place safely. There will be a time in mid to late August when the whole surface will be re-paved meaning that the car park will be unavailable for up to three days. This will be well advertised in advance.
The timetable sees work being undertaken from yesterday (21st July) to the end of August, you can download an outline copy of the most recent timetable by clicking the link: Orpen Hall car park Programme. Regular hall users have been informed already as have those with single bookings over this period.
The work is being funded using PC earmarked funds of £50,000 and a grant from Essex County. Council for £12,000.
If any reader has concerns or queries they should contact the hall administrator ([antibot mailto=”[email protected]”]), or Parish Clerk (Parish Clerk ([email protected]), in the first instance who will either answer queries or obtain information from our agent and/or contractor.
The Orpen Players next production, running from 15th – 17th May, is The Deep Blue Sea by Terrence Rattigan. Starting at 8pm each day, doors open at 7:30pm, tickets cost £6 for the Thursday and £7 for the Friday & Saturday performances. Tickets can be bought either from:
For more of an evening out dine at the Treble Tile before the performance from selected menu + show ticket for £20 per head – must be booked in advance with the Treble Tile 01206 241712.
The Deep Blue Sea begins with the discovery by her neighbours of Hester Collyer who has tried and failed to commit suicide. Some time before, she left her husband, a respectable High Court Judge, for a semi-alcoholic former RAF pilot, Freddy Page. The relationship was physical and passionate but his ardour has cooled, leaving her emotionally stranded and desperate. The aftershocks of her attempted suicide unravel even the remnants of this relationship, but by the end she is brought to a hard decision to live, partly through the intercession of another resident of the tenement house, Mr. Miller, an ex-doctor, struck off for what seems to have been a homosexual offence. These two outcasts, socially ostracised for their ‘excessive’ loves, find a curious and moving kinship.
An actor, who played Freddy recently had this to say:
It’s a play about love and lust. But also about what it was like to live after the war. Freddy was a Spitfire pilot in World War II. He came out of that a war hero and worked as a test pilot, but lost his nerve and hit the bottle. Before we join the play he’s met Hester and pours his heart out to her at a time when people were very closed up. We join them at the nadir of their relationship.
Source: Wikipedia.
Colchester & District Model Railway Club are hosting an Open Day at the Orpen Hall on 6th April between 11:00 – 16:00. Entry is free, although all donations are welcomed, and refreshments are available.
Previous Open Days have seen a number of layouts, like the St Aida’s Quay layout pictured below, to either enthuse new followers or remind older generations of the fun they used to have. Experts will be on hand to answer your questions and there is also a second-hand stall that might just kick-start a lifelong passion.
Cinderella at the Orpen HallPeter Cox has once again written and directed this fabulous interpretation of the classic Cinderella. This exciting and wonderful show will have you laughing and cheering right from the start. Our award winning cast return again and we also have some new faces to the Orpen Stage!
This fabulous show will sell out so book early to avoid disappointment – as this news update is posted the matinee performances are already sold out! Remaining performances are:
Tickets for the panto alone are priced £7 adults and £5 children with a 50p booking fee if booking online. If you prefer you can buy your tickets from Ash’s store or by calling Orpen players on 01206 241048.
The Treble Tile and the Orpen Players have joined together in an initiative designed to provide a special night out in the village for their patrons. They are offering a special ticket that entitles the bearer to a meal followed by an evening’s entertainment.
The Treble Tile menu will consist of a choice from bangers and mash, fish and chips or a vegetarian option, a glass of house wine or pint of beer and a cup of tea or coffee. The combination ticket of £20 will get you a meal at 6pm giving you time to take your (included) seats for the show, these tickets must be booked in advance directly with the Treble Tile on 01206 241712.
The Quiz Night organised by the Village Bulletin Team was held in September and was a great success, with twelve teams entering. They were all from local organisations or a groups of friends, as the criteria for entry is that at least part of the team must be residents of West Bergholt.
The quizmaster was Susan Leng who also wrote the questions. Some teams surprised themselves with how much they knew on certain subjects – and when they did well, they wished they had played their joker, which doubles the team’s points in that round! However, each team distinguished themselves in some way and the team with two teenagers congratulated themselves on having someone who knew an answer about “Grand Theft Auto V”.
Bernard Colbron, editor of the Bulletin, kept the scoreboard up to date. Other members of the team ably assisted with marking, and distributing answer sheets as well as refreshments and a big raffle. With two extra helpers the evening ran very smoothly, and, thanks to the Parish Council who kindly allowed the use of the Orpen Hall free, the evening raised £270 for “The Teenage Cancer Trust” which is very dear to the hearts of many people in West Bergholt.
The final winners, after a closely run contest, who went home with the Challenge Cup, were The Orpen Players. They were also the previous winners – will they make it a hat-trick next year ? The runner-up prize went to a family team from Albany Road – they too are determined to capture the cup next year ! Come along and join us next time, and see if you can be “The Brains of Bergholt”
The Orpen Players present The World Premier of a ‘whodunnit comedy farce’ Unfinished Business by local playwright David Wenden.
Directed by Andrew Bott.
Who killed the policeman? Who killed the treasure seeker? A stormy night, a lonely cottage and a sweet little old lady are the ingredients for this wickedly funny spoof ‘whodunnit’!
Performance dates
Venue: The Orpen Memorial Hall, West Bergholt.
Tickets available NOW online at www.orpenplayers.co.uk or by calling Roger Milne 01206 241048 also available at Ash’s Store West Bergholt from 12th October.
Supper & Show in conjunction with The Treble Tile of West Bergholt – £20 buys you a show ticket and supper from special menu – for details contact The Treble Tile 01206 241712 www.thetrebletile.co.uk.
Having missed last year we see the return of the Annual Village Quiz on Saturday 21st September this year. Starting at 7.30pm in the Orpen Hall teams of 4 are invited to compete for the Challenge Cup in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust:
Our vision is a future where young people’s lives don’t stop because they have cancer. We make sure they’re treated as young people first, cancer patients second and everything we do aims to improve their quality of life and chances of survival.
Around seven young people aged between 13 and 24 are diagnosed with cancer every day in the UK. They need expert treatment and support from the moment they hear the word ‘cancer.’ We’re the only charity dedicated to making this happen.
Refreshments will be provided, but please bring your own drinks. Teams consists of 4 people who can be from a village club or group, or just good friends, as long as at least one team member is a West Bergholt resident. Entry fee is £16 per team, with all proceeds to the Teenage Cancer Trust, cheques should be made payable to “West Bergholt Parish Council” or pay on the night, as long as you have booked your team in by 14th September. Please contact Susan Leng ([antibot mailto=”[email protected]”]) to book your team in or get more information.
Alan Bennett sealed his reputation as the master of observation with a series of ground breaking monologues originally filmed for BBC Television. Darkly Comic, tragically poignant and wonderfully uplifting. Talking Heads is widely regarded as a modern classic.
The Orpen Players have transformed Talking Heads from just a monologue to an acting form taking three of Bennett’s plays A Lady of Letters, A Chip in the Sugar and Bed Among the Lentils onto the stage at the Orpen Hall, West Bergholt.
New York Times |
New York Times Book Review |
The Scotsman |
Talking Heads is being performed at the Orpen Hall on Thursday 9th, Friday 10th & Saturday 11th may with doors opening at 7:30pm for performance start at 8pm. Tickets are £6 on Thursday, £7 Friday & Saturday (children £5 all performances) and are available now:
The show is being produced by arrangement with Samuel French Ltd.
Then why not keep your money in the Village? We have some great halls for hire that are suitable for a range of Functions, Birthday Parties, Meetings, Socials etc.