Village Hall guidance – latest update
21st Aug 2020
The ACRE team have continued to chase, interpret, and share government guidance to help England’s 10,000+ village halls reopen. Several iterations of a detailed information sheet have been published and provided to ACRE Network members, the most recent edition featuring advice on how sports, exercise and performances can be accommodated in halls.
A further update is expected to include information on the requirement for face coverings, singing, and the playing of wind and brass instruments in village halls/similar community buildings.
The Department of Health & Social Care has confirmed the following information about wearing face coverings in village halls: “On entering a village hall, you will be required to wear a face covering, and will be required to keep it on, unless you are covered under a ‘reasonable excuse’. This could be for a gym class, if you need to eat or drink something, or if you have a health or disability reason to not wear one. A reasonable excuse does not cover someone just ‘popping in’ or sitting on the side and watching (for example). Face coverings can be removed if users are undertaking exercise or an activity and it would negatively impact their ability to do so. The guidance on wearing face coverings sets out the circumstances where members of the public do not need to wear a face covering and when they can be removed.”
You can read the full government guidance regarding face coverings via this link:
In addition to the information sheet, ACRE has been working with architectural firm IF_DO to provide a visual reference guide to social distancing measures in community centres.
The guide provides some great, easy to understand illustrations showing how village halls can be arranged to keep people safe. Hewish and Puxton Village Hall near Weston-Super-Mare is featured as an example of good practice.