New community spaces opened at Henley-in-arden and Battle stations
railway buildings have been transformed into useful community spaces following extensive works to repurpose them. On February 22, celebrations were held to mark the transformation of the original station building at Henley-in-arden, which had lain out of use since the 1990s. The refurbished building was officially opened by Network Rail’s chairman, Lord Peter Hendy of Richmond Hill, who was joined by representatives from the Railway Heritage Trust, Henley-in-arden Parish Council, West Midlands Railway, Friends of the Shakespeare Line, and Friends of Henley Railway Station to celebrate its completion.
The refurbishment was spearheaded by the Friends of Henley Railway Station, with support from Network Rail, West Midlands Railway, Henley-in-arden Parish Council and the Railway Heritage Trust. The former station building now houses a community bar and lounge, and also incorporates a micro-brewery. The lounge is equipped with IT facilities and can be hired for small functions. All income and profits from the bar and community space will be invested back into the building, facilities, and station area.
Lord Hendy said: “It is wonderful to see partners and volunteers coming together to put the railway at the heart of the local community. I’d like to thank everybody involved in this project, and I hope passengers from Henley and beyond will experience the benefits that this repurposed building brings for years to come.”
Angela Okey, chair of Friends of Henley Railway Station, said: “After living in Henley for several years and walking my dogs past the derelict station building every morning, it saddened me to see the state of disrepair of what was once an iconic and beautiful building.
“The aim was always to make this a community project, and by involving local people with the same love of their town, it has been a delight to work on and watch the enthusiasm of everyone.
“As well as being a welcoming meeting place for residents, we hope it will attract more footfall to our beautiful town of Henley-in-arden, which in turn will support local businesses and traders.”
Meanwhile, the following day, a brand-new community hub was officially opened in the disused former station master’s accommodation at Battle station. Local MP and Rail Minister Huw Merriman was joined by Lord Hendy, local councillors, and representatives from organisations who had worked on the project at a short opening ceremony.
The listed building, which is located adjacent to the station’s ticket office, had been disused for many years. The project to transform it has been carried out by Network Rail and Southeastern, assisted with grants from the Railway Heritage Trust and the Community Rail Network.
The Southeast Communities Rail Partnership has worked with Battle Town Council to develop the former station master’s house, with various groups expressing an interest in using the space for the benefit of the community. The building is equipped with offices, meeting rooms, a kitchen and toilet facilities.
Southeastern managing director Steve White said: “We want our stations to be assets to the communities we serve, as connecting people and places helps us to add social value and support the local economy. “Battle is one of the finest examples of neo-gothic architecture on the railway today, and we are very proud to be its current custodian. It looks fantastic following the recent restoration work, and I’m sure our customers will really enjoy travelling through this stunning station and that the new facility will prove to be invaluable to the community here.”