If you think of a Village Hall, often you think of a nissen hut or timber structure like a sports pavilion tucked away on a small plot of unkempt grass and weeds on the outskirts of a village, or tucked away under the trees at the back of a village green. Well. in at least one village in Kent the Village Hall defies all expectations by being modern, advanced and at the very heart of the village community.



Langley, situated 5 miles south east of Maidstone town centre, is a relatively small village of less than 1200 residents and comprises a mixture of old traditional village properties dating back centuries to houses built in the 60s, 70’s and 80’s. The name is a common English place-name, from the Old English lang leah or ‘long field or woodland’. This village first appears in the records in 814 as Longanleag.But the residents of Langley keep their eyes firmly on the future when it comes to the hall. Built in the 70s and capable of hosting 200 attendees for events (or 150 for a seated dinner) the hall has been well maintained by its management committee. In the last 3 years alone the hall has gained Hallmark 1,2 and 3 awards in recognition of it’s stature as one of the friendliest and best kept halls in the area. 150 new banqueting chairs were bought in 2012, in 2013 the kitchen was completely refurbished with two new double ovens, two fridges, microwave, hob, dishwasher and even an instant hot water boiler for those endless streams of tea at events! In January the committee approved the purchase of a new PA system to complement the hearing loop system that was installed last year.



The hall has a licensed bar to the back of the main hall that can be booked for events and a very good sized stage with lighting and space for backdrops and scenery. The hall also has excellent broadband connectivity with its own secure WiFi system which is used by the computer club which meets on the first and third Wednesday of every month. Here parishioners are able to come and use one of the 6 laptops owned by the hall where there is always someone on hand to help them master the art of email, social media or even the odd bit of online shopping if they want!



The large car parking area to the front of the hall leads directly onto the reception area and is wheelchair friendly.