Page 31 - It's a Rum Life Book 3 "Ivy House Tales 1970 to 1984"

Consequently it had beautiful archways built into its lower structure with a large room
above. By this time in 1972 though the archways had been bricked in for some years and
the whole inside of the building was dark and dreary.
Constant artificial lighting was needed for any functions and there was no efficient heating.

Perhaps it is one of those times when the person outside can see more of “the game”, but
after the very first committee meeting I attended, it was obvious that urgent changes were
needed.
It had been one of my Firestone clients, Ivor Bush (unfortunately now no longer with us),
who suggested I join the committee.
His family home and very first ‘Bush Tyres’ retail depot was in the centre of the village.

Ivor was a true character of the old style, his father had begun the tyre business in New
Bolingbroke and Ivor, still a relatively young man, was in the process of growing the
business that was to become a major power in the County.
He lived in a smart bungalow just off the main road and although his basic alliance in the
tyre world was to the Good Year Tyre Company, we became firm friends.

The Town Hall committee comprised most of the ‘worthies’ of the village. John Rundle, our
neighbour living at Globe House was now running the family engineering business and
iron foundry, it was his father “Jack” who was Chairman of the committee.

Local plumber and neighbour across the road from Ivy House was Les Langstaff, it was his
father who was the secretary. Then there was Ivor Bush and retired local postman Harry
Hubbard who lived in the ‘North Row’ of cottages. Ivor and I were the youngest members
by many years.

WHY NOT BIG CHANGES
The older members of the committee realised that changes had to be made somehow to
make the building more attractive and encourage its better use.

We had very little in the way of funds and total refurbishment was out of the question. The
chance of using the previous upstairs room was decided to be a non starter so all our
thoughts concentrated on the main structure. There were some ancient toilets and the little
side room we used for our meetings, as it was easy to keep warm.

I asked if anybody had ever thought of unbricking the archways around the building and
putting windows in. This would bring immediate light and life into the Hall. The idea
staggered the older members, nobody had ever seen the building without the arches being
bricked up. It took me several meetings and maximum support from Ivor Bush to persuade
the rest to even think of the possibility. They agreed to look at the idea and gave me
permission to ask for advice.

First of all I persuaded an ex school colleague, Gordon who was a well established
surveyor in Boston, to become involved. He gave the Hall a thorough ‘going over’ and
provided the committee with an official report that said there was no reason why the
brickwork in the archways could not be removed.
We were over the first hurdle.

I think it must have been Gordon who drew up the plans for the ‘New Hall’, they looked

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