The future of Weston Rhyn’s Village Institute seems to be more secure after a meeting of residents and supporters, according to a trustee.

The meeting was held at the village hall on Monday night, with more than 100 people in the room to hear about the current state of affairs regarding the hall.

Parish councillor Angela Bright, who is a user/trustee of the building, was one of those who attended the meeting which was called to find ways to secure the hall’s financial future.

She felt a wave of positivity for people wanting to protect its worth to the village.

“I think there were around 120 people there – it was a packed house all there to hear what was said,” she said. “I don’t think the hall is going to be closed.”

Cllr Bright explained the main issue surrounds the adjoining caretaker’s house, which belongs to the Village Institute Trust.

“There were two votes put to the people, but the night was more about the house than the hall because people want it to be saved, they don’t want to sell it. I think the issue is that with the house is that it’s a private dwelling so we have to pay council tax, which I don’t think that is fair because we’re not using it. But we don’t want to pay tax on it.

“We will be going to an Annual General Meeting on February 24 and we’re hoping that people will go to that too.

“People will now see what is needed to run the hall but I think, moving forward, it is all positive.

“There were a lot of people who said they will be able to help us apply for grants – as it’s a private house, there’s a lot of grants we don’t qualify for.

“There was a lot of people there at the meeting who didn’t know what happened in the village, such as some of the clubs and services on offer, and it was good to see people there that I had never seen before.”

The meeting was called following reports that the hall was set to be closed because of a lack of funds, with committee members stating fundraisers were not generating enough money.

However, Cllr Bright – who also sits on the Gobowen, Selattyn, Weston Rhyn and St Martins Local Joint Committee, is urging people to attend the vital AGM next month.

A time had not been set.

The institute, which was built in 1908 and paid for by public donations. It recently received a refurbishment Three Parishes Lottery grant for refurbishment.