The “Save the Royal” group was set up following a village consultation exercise which showed widespread support for trying to reopen the Royal. There were several meetings of representatives from most of the existing village interest groups, including the cricket club, church, and Civic Trust – and the Parish Council has shown its support by registering the Royal as an asset of community value. A core group was then formed to drive the project forward. We all want to see the Royal Hotel restored to its former glory.
It was and should be the heart of the village for residents and visitors to enjoy. With so much history we see The Royal Hotel not just as a pub with food, for people visiting the village to stay but a place for weddings, parties, live music, a meeting place and special events.
The worst case scenario is if the building is left to deteriorate it could be demolished and the land used for a new development. We can’t let this happen.
We are exploring, all funding options including applying for grants, crowdfunding, community shares and private investor finance to raise the money needed for purchase and renovation works.
If you would like to be involved in any way please contact us: actiontosavetheroyal@gmail.com
After the success of our first fundraiser at the end of August where we raised just under £2,000 (thanks again to everyone who supported this), we’ve set up a Go Fund Me Page to help raise money for the project. These donations will fund several pre-acquisition activities (valuation report, community ownership consultancy, FCA fees, marketing and communications materials, condition survey, community share issue, legal costs etc)
Big thanks to everyone who came to the Art auction
Massive thanks to everyone who came to the Art auction on Saturday. From the doors opening at 4.30 we had over 200 people in the Church viewing the art and at the auction. We sold everything, which is fantastic, and raised over £3,000 for the Save The Royal fund, which will help towards legal costs, and professional fees. Many thanks to all of the Hayfield artists who donated their works. Susan McColl for organising and Mike Greensmith for making it such a fun night. And Penny and Paul Jagger from St Matthews for all their help.
Art Auction on Saturday 26th October news
Art Auction on Saturday 26th October
Some of Hayfield’s finest artists are holding an Art Auction on Saturday, 26th Oct, at St Matthew’s Church. All proceeds are going to the Save The Royal Fund. Viewing starts from 4.30pm. Local artists such as Linda Sheldon, Carly Grice, Andy Gale, Henry Walsh, Ann Lyon, Chris Taylor, Karen Heywood, Simon Bridges, Eve Bridges, Rachel Eastop, Maria Tarnowski and Susan McCall have all very kindly donated some very special artwork to be auctioned and sold to the highest bidder. Free wine and cheese & biscuits on the night to help with getting your bids in!
Fundraiser at Hayfield Cricket Club on Friday 30th August 2024.
Big thanks to everyone who came to our first fundraiser held at Hayfield Cricket Pavillion with singer songwriter Clive Gregson. Thanks to you the night was a complete sell-out and we raised just under £2,000.
Sett Valley Trail August 2024.
We had a great weekend when we joined The Tent People (thanks Joss and Lynds) on the Sett Valley Trail. It was lovely to meet all the locals and visitors over the weekend and hear all the positive comments about seeing The Royal opening for busness again.
It was 10 years ago this year when Lisa and Mark from The Royal Hotel and a team of Hayfield music enthusiasts staged Hayfest on the cricket pitch. Over 50 live acts appeared playing to over 5,000 people over 3 days. Headline acts Steve Harley, Roachford and Andy Fairweather Low all had rooms at The Royal Hotel which became the nerve centre during the festival. The pub had never been busier and at times it was almost impossible to get through the front door it was so busy!
BBC One’s critically acclaimed epic Sunday night drama series The Village starring Maxine Peake and John Simm was filmed in and around Hayfield in 2012. The Village tells the story of life in a Derbyshire village in the early 20th century through the eyes of a central character, Bert Middleton. During filming cast and crew members stayed at The Royal Hotel and would be found in the bar after a day of filming. The cobbled ginnel at the side of the Royal Hotel was featured many times as it was used as the fake entrance to the village pub.
Hayfield resident and singer Sheila Collier created the first Hayfield International Jazz Festival in 1983, which ran for eight years. The Royal Hotel and other pubs in the village hosted many live music events with Hayfield becoming famous for holding the Festival. Some of the biggest names in Jazz appeared at the festival including The Humphrey Lyttelton band, Chris Barber Jazz and Blues Band, Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames, the Paul Jones Band and American musician Dr. John (who released the LP Splinter Trip Revisited (Live At Hayfield Jazz). Local trombonist Eric Brierley was a regular at the Royal Hotel playing Sunday sessions with his band until the early 2000’s.
The Royal Hotel has a very interesting and unique history. Originally built in 1755 by the parishioners of Hayfield for the then Vicar, the Rev. John Badley, it was a lovely place with gardens all around, stretching down to the bank of the river Sett. The Reverend John Badley died in 1764 and the Parsonage was then turned into a Public House, known as the ‘The Shoulder of Mutton’ owned by the local squire Captain John White of Park Hall. White a pillar of the church, converted the place, once again into a Parsonage and allowed the Vicar of Hayfield, to live their rent free. The Reverend John Brock who died in 1863 was the last Vicar to reside in the Old Parsonage at The Royal and in 1865, he turned the parsonage back into a public house, which he named The Royal Hotel.
How we remember The Royal Hotel.
We are exploring, all funding options including applying for grants, crowdfunding, community shares and private investor finance to raise the money needed for purchase and renovation works. If you would like to be involved in any way please contact us.