Get a Farmer’s View of new £460k venue

MATLOCK’S new Farmer’s View venue has opened following the £460,000 transformation of the former Hurst Farm Social Club.

The renamed venue, which features a showpiece terrace overlooking Riber Castle, will serve Derbyshire Dales’ largest estate and the wider Matlock community.

It’s part of the Hurst Farm Regeneration Project, created by Derbyshire Dales District Council and operated with partners including Derbyshire Dales Council for Voluntary Service (CVS), Platform Housing Group and the Friends of Hurst Farm.

The old social club building has been gutted, with the installation of new windows, a new flat roof, business start-up office space and a resurfaced car park, creating a modern multi-functional community hub complete with pub, café and community pantry.

To fund the project the partners have won substantial government grants over the past two years, plus £100,000 from Sport England and £5,000 from Chevin Homes.

The district council also provided an interest free loan of £110,000 to help cash flow the project.

At the end of last year the venue was announced as one of just 14 Estate Regeneration Fund beneficiaries in England to win funding from the Department for Levelling up, Housing and Communities.

The Social Club itself also financed a £25,000 internal redecoration of the front bar area, with new windows and doors and a revamped entrance area, unifying the whole building.

Sports activities and classes will be run there by the District Council’s sports development team, together with community events.

The venue will be available for hire by the community for weddings and parties.