The Hall Historically

Haworth Village Hall has been at the centre of Haworth life for over 100 years.
The site on Butt Lane saw two school buildings open in the 1890s, one catering for infants and the other for juniors. A caretaker also lived on a site, in a small cottage on the corner of the site near the railway. The school remains in the hearts of many long-time Haworth residents, who remember its history with the fondness and trepidation with which people often remember their early school days.

The Hall as a Community Centre

In 2001 the school moved to a new build nearby, where it remains to this day.
The boom times of the early Millennium saw ambitious plans to develop the area; one school building would be converted into private accommodation while the neighbouring one would be transformed into a centre for the community. Butt Lane’s tired cobbles would be overhauled and the park opposite given a major facelift. The project costs ran into millions and would see a transformation for the area. The new community centre would feature a bar area, a stage, a large hall and a library and would be a pivotal part of community life.
Sadly, shortly into this project, the financial crash occurred and budget priorities were revised. The development of the other school building into homes for commercial sale was complete, however the remainder of the work was either not begun or not complete.
The building became Bradford Council’s “Haworth Youth and Community Centre” but tight funding meant it fell into neglect. In 2016 a community group attempting to manage the hall resigned and it was assumed the hall would go up for sale. Most of the community groups using it closed or moved elsewhere.

The Hall Revived

At this point a group of concerned residents from Haworth and the Worth Valley took on the community centre with a view to keeping it open. The process of forming a cohesive team was slow, but the group acquired the Hall from the Council via a Tenancy at Will organised by Haworth, Cross Roads and Stanbury Parish Council .

Haworth Today

Today Haworth has suffered a great deal under austerity cuts. The Tourist Information Centre and public toilets have all been closed and taken under community ownership and the nearby SureStart Centre effectively closed. Nearby villages have suffered similar cuts too.

A Hall For All

In 2019 the remaining team registered Haworth Village Hall as a company Limited by Guarantee (not-for-profit) to operate the bar and trading services and registered the Hall as a charity to provide space for the community to use.