You only have to take a stroll along Barkway High Street to see the rich history of the village illustrated by the many handsome historic buildings which grace what was once a stretch of the main route between London and Cambridge. That history accounts for its largely shoestring configuration with the older houses (and once businesses) being concentrated along the main thoroughfare.
Now bypassed by traffic travelling up and down the country, Barkway today finds its identity as a peaceful village with a strong rural tradition and a thriving community spirit.
This is perhaps most in evidence when the whole village comes together to organise the annual village market. Last year upwards of 3,000 attended to visit the stalls, be entertained and enjoy the food and drink. This year the date for your diary is 9th May and the event will be opened at 10am in a special opening ceremony! Whilst the event is organised by Barkway Village Hall, lots of other local charities and good causes use it as a platform to raise money, too. Friends of Barkway Church organise a barbecue and tombola – the bacon butties are to die for and the school always provide delicious food too.
June 20th sees the return of a popular event in Barkway: Music on the Rec. It’s a party in the open air, with music from a band performing on the back of a truck.
Everyone is invited to bring a picnic. Some choose to bring gazebos – and once they’re all in place it’s like a miniature village on the Recreation Ground. There’s a great atmosphere as merrymakers dance happily as the sun goes down.
The event has been held 3 times before, most recently in 2011, and this time the emphasis will be on giving local talent a chance to perform. The main event will be the popular band Rumpus, and other acts are yet to be confirmed. As darkness falls, fireworks will round off the evening.
Advance tickets are just £10, and it’s half price for students. Those under 16 get in free! Call 01763 848946 to book.
In recent years the Social Club has been transformed to a lively meeting place for members with facilities including darts, a full size snooker table and pool table. These are supported (naturally enough) by a well-stocked bar.
About once a month the Village Hall at the north end of the village adjacent to the Social Club is transformed into a cinema venue “Barkway Picture Palace”. Anyone is welcome to be a member – you don’t have to live in the village… At other times it is a great venue for clubs, meetings & events and boasts excellent facilities. It is also the venue for Barkway Players annual pantomime – Oh yes it is…
The quaint grade II listed building known as the Reading Room was gifted to the village in 1897 and now functions as a meeting place and book lending centre.
Just up the road on the High Street is VK Hair Styling where the teams ambition is to be truly welcoming and to provide an experience so enjoyable that customers would look forward to coming back time and time again.
The one remaining pub in the village, The Tally Ho now offers a warm welcome and excellent food in a lovely setting – for more information see our review…
Next month we will turn our Spotlight On Therfield and Kelshall so do email us if you would like us to include something about your business or organisation!
www.barkway-village.org.uk
www.barkwayplayers.org.uk
www.tallyho-barkway.co.uk
www.vkhairstyling.com
