Hall reopens after lighting improvements

Over the Christmas vacation and the first few weeks of Hilary Term 2024, Exeter College Hall underwent refurbishment. The primary purpose for the closure was to improve the lighting in the Hall so that it would be bright and well-illuminated in all seasons and times of the day and so the lighting can be raised or lowered for various occasions, from brightly illuminated for Collections exams to softly lit for formal dinners. We are pleased to announce that the Hall is now reopened and looking magnificent!

The improved lighting is not only more adaptable and well suited to a wider variety of occasions, but also draws attention to the Hall’s Jacobean architecture and its portraits. The refurbishment offered an opportunity to install some of Exeter’s most recent portraits—those of the former President of Ghana, His Excellency John Kufuor (1961, PPE; Honorary Fellow) and Rector Rick Trainor. Both paintings were formally unveiled in May 2023, the former at a ceremony with His Majesty the King of Ashanti Otumfuo Nana Osei Tutu II and John Kufuor himself in attendance.

In addition to the lighting upgrade, the stonework in the Hall has been cleaned. The effect of the work is truly transformational, with the Hall now a much more striking and impressive space, that also feels warmer and more welcoming.

The re-opening of the Hall also marked another important change for the College: the removal of the marquee from our Front Quad. The marquee was first erected during the COVID-19 pandemic, to provide a large additional space that facilitated social distancing. It proved useful for that and more, later providing a useful space to hold events and, during the refurbishment of the College Library, essential in-College study space for Exeter students. Now that the Library is open again and the Dining Hall refurbishment is complete, Exeter’s Front Quad has at last been restored to its pre-pandemic appearance.