The Bookham Old Barn Hall is an excellent facility for our weekly bridge sessions on a Monday and Thursday afternoon. However the hall only has limited parking facilities (an estimated 39 spaces in the main car park) and as a result of the increasing popularity of the bridge club and other events these parking facilities can sometimes reach their capacity. Roger Musgrove, the Barn Hall manager, has been as helpful as possible is seeking to alleviate the parking problems for the bridge club where possible. E.g. By allowing the bridge club members to use the parking at the back when there are no other activities taking place at the Barn Hall and by opening the entrance to park on the grass field at the back of the hall, provided it is not wet and muddy.

Nevertheless we have often encountered parking problems which have either disrupted the bridge session or inconvenienced other members or uses of the Barn Hall. This may be due to due to indifferent parking or blocking entrances or exit for other cars.

Ideally we would ask all members to give priority to park in the main car park nearest the Old Barn Hall to those members who are either disabled or less able to walk longer distances.

The committee has spoken to the Barn Hall management and considered the issue and can offer the following suggestions to help alleviate the parking problems.

1. To encourage all members who are driving to the venue to explore car sharing with other members also coming to the weekly sessions.

2. To suggest local members who are fit and able, to walk or cycle to the venue, weather permitting.

3. To park in appropriately safe and relatively uncongested residential roads nearby and walk to the Barn Hall. Parking in these suggested roads is probably no more than a five minute walk to the Hall. Refer detailed map below

4. When the field at the back of the hall is not wet underfoot and there is still daylight after the end of the bridge sessions it would seem the best roads to park are Mead Crescent and The Garstons and to walk through the field at the back of the Barn Hall to get to the Hall. This is probably no more than a 3 to 4 minute walk and the roads seem quite with easy street parking. These roads can be accessed via Lower Road or Sole Farm Road.

5. A marginally longer walk (4+ minutes) is to park on Sole Farm road, which also seems to have relatively easy street parking, and walk along the pavement down Church Road to get to the Barn Hall.

6. Somewhat less appropriate for parking is Mill Close: although closer to the Old Barn Hall parking here involves crossing Church Road which can be quite busy.

7. We would not recommend parking on Church Road. The Park, Park Court and The Moorings are private roads. Parking on Solecote is also limited and may inconvenience the residents.

8. There is also a pay to park site behind the Co-op with the entrance on the Lower Road . This would cost about £3.50 to park for three and a half hours. This is also about a 4 to 5 minute walk to the Barn Hall.

Longer term potential partial solution

The field at the Back of the Hall is not owned by the BCA but by Mole Valley District Council. The BCA and MVDC have been having discussion for a few years as to whether part of the field can be converted to a grassy hard standing area for say additional 10 to12 car parking spaces. These discussions are ongoing as it would be quite costly and MVDC would like any available extra parking to also be available to users of the High Street shops whereas the BAC management would prefer the parking to be for users for the Barn Hall.

Committee

Bookham Afternoon Bridge Club.

20^th October 2015