Initially just in the old Malthouse building, Lymington Community Centre first opened its doors in 1948, under the auspices of Robert Holes with an aim to provide Lymington with culture, education, and entertainment. Gaining charitable
Initially just in the old Malthouse building, Lymington Community Centre first opened its doors in 1948, under the auspices of Robert Holes with an aim to provide Lymington with culture, education, and entertainment. Gaining charitable status in 1962 the centre celebrated its 75th year in 2023.its stated aims are to provide recreational facilities and advance education for the people of Lymington, Pennington, and the surrounding areas. Later additions were the Wellington Wing and the Fuller McLellan Hall (now the Gates Hall) – built after generous legacies left by two local ladies. With 16 different meeting rooms, the centre now accommodates many regular groups and can hire out space for many more. A pre-school nursery is based in the centre as well as adult education classes, the Lymington Players, Lymington Choral Society and Lymington Film Society who all meet there regularly. The Tidal Boutique offers nearly new clothes.
The Malt Theatre has a wonderful programme including movies, live broadcasts of ballet, opera and plays. The centre provides a venue for many civic and community meetings as well as Civil Ceremonies. An added bonus is the wide selection of second-hand books and magazines to browse and buy while you wait. Regular exhibitions are also housed in the centre.
Becoming a member will give you regular discounts on events, newsletters and email updates, a café loyalty card and even town centre parking for an additional fee. It is a great place to get involved as a volunteer too and the Centre Manager, Rachel Smith, and her team could not keep the centre so busy without all the volunteer’s hard work. They are involved in the boutique, café, gardening, the cinema and bar and are vital to the success and smooth running of the whole centre.
The Malt café offers breakfast, lunch, refreshments, and snacks inside and with outdoor seating in the walled garden too.
Trustees oversee the work of the centre, which is run by the Lymington Community Association. Many clubs are affiliated and use the centre regularly, such as the Lymington Players and the Lymington Film Society and the New Forest Academy of Dance is also based in the building. Evening and day classes are run both by the centre and via Brockenhurst College Adult Education team.
The centre can even provide a licensed venue for weddings and civil ceremonies.
And what next? With aims to ensure a long-term sustainable future for Lymington Community Centre, the successful fund-raising and grants allocated recently are enabling the various buildings to be linked and made fully accessible to all. Lymington and Pennington Town Council gave £900,000 towards the £2m target and Pennyfarthing Homes made a £1.7m donation. The redevelopment has been challenging in a grade 2 listed building, but it was vital to make the building more accessible and to upgrade the toilet facilities and lift to the first floor – it now accommodates 5 people. Work already completed is the refurbishment of the John Howlett workshops used for pottery, woodwork and crafts. Plans now approved include the improvement of the café and kitchen, with the design to include a glass wall opening onto the garden and space for 26 covers in the new café area. The centre will be fully accessible and ready for the next 75 years and beyond!
Explore the website https://lymingtoncommunity.com or call 01590 672337 or email reception@lymingtoncommunity.com for more information. Follow the centre on Facebook (facebook.com/thelymingtoncentre/) or Twitter (@lymingtoncentre).
Lymington Community Centre, New Street, Lymington, SO41 9BQ
Registered charity no. 301880