Christchurch's Permanent Commemoration of the Coronation of HM Queen Elizabeth II
Druitt Hall was built with public subscription in 1953 to commemorate the Coronation, as an 'Old Peoples Welfare Centre' for the benefit of all the people of Christchurch. At the opening the Royal British Legion presented a clock, still in use today inside the hall.
In 2012 an application to demolish Druitt Hall was submitted by Christchurch Borough Council to its own planning department. If approved, the hall was destined to be demolished soon after closure at the end of March 2013. The scheme would have seen the land converted into community space to improve the pedestrian link between Druitt Gardens and the High Street and, in place of the hall, the plan was to install a “gathering space” including seating and a sculpture.
The Friends of Druitt Hall fought a hard campaign to save the hall and in 2014, after much work by Christchurch Citizens Association and many others, the Council granted a 3-year Lease to Druitt Hall Community Association. In September of that year the hall was 're-launched' sporting a newly-painted interior and exterior, new ladies toilets and sanded and re-varnished floors. The Hall looks inviting, loved and is well-used.
Local clubs and societies regularly book the main hall.
Christchurch Central WI have also returned to their first home, holding their meetings on the 1st Wednesday of each month.
20141105.jpg "WI return!")
Refurbishment has continued with a new kitchen being completed in 2015 and, at the end of that year, a new wheelchair-accessible toilet was created and the gents toilets were refurbished. Storage cupboards were built to accommodate users' materials. A new side entrance was created in 2016 giving level access into the lobby for wheeled items and those who might prefer to avoid the front step. An area at the rear of the building, formerly occupied by an extension (the 'Markham Room'), is occupied on a continuing-hire basis by the Friends of Druitt Gardens and has been transformed into a Wildlife Education Area. The meeting room has been totally refurbished and furnished in boardroom style and is currently occupied on a continuing-hire basis by Christchurch BID.
The unique history of the hall has been acknowledged by the Prefab Museum on their website, here.
Druitt Hall Community Association was granted a further 10-year extension to the lease in 2017 and Christchurch Town Council has voted to extend this by 30 years.
See also the hall’s noticeboards for news and events.