Dancing With Death For 15 Or 20 Years ( 13 February 1976)

No doubt many Bletchley people have been startled to learn how close they have been to sudden death or injury during the past 15 to 20 years.  I refer, of course, to the recent discovery that the concrete beams in parts of Wilton Hall were in far worse shape than was suspected when the hall was closed last March because high alumina cement had been used in them.

The hall was built during the 1939-45 war for the instruction and entertainment of the thousands of people and troops employed or stationed at the adjacent Bletchley Park.  At that time, it was little more than a rectangular shell, including a stage at one end.

After the war it fell into disuse.  Then the Ministry began allowing it to be used by various people.  One event of that period I remember was a three-nights production of “The Desert Song,” given by personnel of the nearby RAF camp, assisted by two or three local young ladies in the leading female roles.

Meanwhile, there was much local talk about the need for a public hall for the town and this hall was freely cited as a possibility.  The Ministry took a long time in deciding they no longer wanted it, but when they did decide to sell and a figure of £13,00 or £14,000 was tentatively mentioned, not everybody in the town was in favour of the council taking it at that price.

Some said the hall was too far from the town.  Some recalled how the old Fenny Stratford town hall had had to be put in private hands because of insufficient income to keep it going.  They doubted whether there would be sufficient income to cover the cost of buying and running the hall.

There was also a private local would-be buyer in the field, who was quite willing to take over at around those figures for the purpose of building commercial exhibitions and sales and letting the hall out to local groups and parties.

In the event, it was not until November, 1953, that the council decided to buy the hall for £13,500.  That figure would seem ridiculously low today, but it was not a low one for the ratepayers of those days to pay for a mainly recreational and probably a loss-making amenity in view of their other commitments.

It is a fact that the following month the council decided to open their public meetings with prayer – but I don’t suppose it was on that account.

The hall also changed its name at about that time.  Previously it had been known as the Assembly Hall.  Now it became Wilton Hall because it was in Wilton Avenue, which itself had local historical connotations.

Almost immediately the council began running monthly Saturday night dances at the hall to help meet the cost.  These proved highly popular among local young people who, up to then had had very limited opportunities.  The dance also attracted youngsters from the surrounding towns.

Unfortunately, an element of rowdyism also crept in.  Much of it was caused by people who attempted to crash in after the pubs had closed.  There were complaints of noise from nearby residents.  The council employed one or two strong-arm stewards.

The problem finally sorted itself out with the opening of other halls in other towns.  These attracted not only their own young people, but Bletchley’s as well.

In due course, various extensions and additions were made to the hall to improve its facilities until, finally, it had a very pleasant appearance both inside and out.  Though small by Leisure Centre standards, it does accommodate some 400 people.  I note that the structural repairs are to cost £34,000 – two and a half times as much as the original hall itself.  Yet nobody now bats an eyelid – probably because the venue will then be as popular as ever and many erstwhile regular users will be delighted to go back there.

One group who I should think can hardly wait to be back there are the Milton Keynes (formerly the Bletchley) Amateur Operatic Society, who started their annual productions there as soon as the council took over.  The stage dimensions have always been a bit of a handicap – and could anything be done about that while those other restorations are being made? – but the hall’s seating capacity has been a vital credit factor.  It was a big blow for them when they had to go to the smaller-capacity Stantonbury theatre for their most recent production.

I should think that that later formation, the Gilbert and Sullivan Society would also be eager to return.  They had to make do with the Denbigh School hall, though they were glad enough of it at the time.

I do not know about that most senior of all local stage groups, the Bletchco Players.  It might be that they would find the Jennie Lee theatre adequate, though Wilton Hall has been their home ever since the old Bletchley Road School hall days.

As for concerts, the borough council have been pursuing a bid-bands big-names policy since the opening of the 1,200-seater Leisure Centre hall and have been justified by attendances.

It would be a pity, however, if this were to rule out such smaller combinations as the Mozart Players and the Jacques Orchestra, who have given some splendid performances at Wilton in the past.

It is also possible that local choral societies would find Wilton Hall preferable.

At any rate, it will be interesting to see how these things do work out in the end.