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The hall was constructed by The Railway Mission at a time when the population of Hastings was soaring and The Railway Mission felt there was an urgent need to accommodate the religious beliefs of the railway workers and their families. The hall was officially opened on April 28th 1892.

As happened to many buildings in Hastings, the hall ceased to be of use for its original purpose and after a series of transitory uses, the hall was left empty until our client appointed us to obtain planning permission for a new use, that of student accommodation.

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A quick study of the hall showed the potential, but also a challenge in how to make the needed amount of rooms. The existing hammer post trusses supporting the roof were obscured by a modern ceiling but we could tell that once removed, the trusses could become an exciting feature in the triple height space. A measured survey showed that we could insert accommodation to achieve much of the rooms required but we needed to find space for an additional two rooms to make the project viable.

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It was suggested that an element could span across the main space, to define the kitchen and dining area underneath and provide a bedroom and ensuite over. Not interfering with the dramatic north-facing window.

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