As many of you will know, last summer one of the Hall roof
beams cracked and partially slumped.
This was quickly corrected, but there was concern about the state of the
rest of the roof and so a programme of careful scrutiny of every part of the
roof timbers was put in place.
This was a long and expensive job, as the required scaffolding
could only be placed above walls that ran under the Hall which could support
the considerable weight of the scaffolding.
A massive gantry-like structure had to be put in place; a section
of the Hall examined; and then the whole structure dismantled and re-erected at
the next point.
The good news is that this examination has finally been
completed, and the scaffolding is being dismantled, so Oxford Experience will
be dining in the Hall as usual this year.
The Hall staff have had to work under less than ideal
conditions during this work, but you can be assured that they will be their
usual smiling selves this summer.
To quote Andy Hedges, the Hall Manager “The scaffolding is
coming down as we speak and the whole place will be ready for you on Sunday -
it's been a bit of a struggle to be honest but we are there now.”
