FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What will the £600 000 mean for the Town Hall?
This will provide the money to repair and restore the outside of the Hall.
The roof will be re-slated and re-leaded; any other structural repairs to the
roof will be undertaken; structural cracks in the foundations will be repaired;
the masonry and windows will be renovated, guttering replaced; the beam over
the stage will be rectified, bringing the stage back into use; the frontage
of the Hall will be renewed, including removing the small wall to make access
easier. The whole will result in a building with a long life span, wind and
water tight.
How will the Hall look different?
The exterior of the Hall will look newly refurbished rather than ‘tired
and neglected’. The front will be resurfaced and be open to the pavement.
When will the work be carried out?
The plans at the moment are to start the work at the beginning of 2013, and
it will take approximately 10 months. The starting date is dependent on agreeing
all the terms and conditions with Historic Scotland and the Council; and
letting the contract to builders.
Will the Hall have to close to do the work?
We are assured that the external work can be done without affecting the use.
of the Hall. However, there are some aspects which may be affected briefly:
the exterior stalls of the markets [we will be having separated discussions
with the market holders on how we can work round this]; the beam above the
stage; the repair to the roof in the library.
When will the Trust take over management of the Hall?
This is dependent on signing the lease with the Council, and the agreement
with Historic Scotland, but we would hope to be in control by the Summer.
Will there be any change in letting rates?
We will be looking at how the Hall is let, but initially there will be little
or no change until we are certain about the future financial viability for
the Trust. The Trust Board has agreed that we will not apply any increase
to rates in 2012/13 as soon as we have control of the building.
We want to see the Hall used much more extensively than it is now, and we believe
that there are real opportunities for marketing the Hall both locally and more
widely. Clearly, the more the Hall is let the more competitive the charges
can be.
Will local tradesmen be used for the work?
We are keen to provide opportunities for local businesses to tender for any
work that they wish to be considered for, and will encourage this to happen.
Naturally we will need to ensure value for money. However, some of the work
is specialised, and we will need to use firms approved by Historic Scotland
and our design team for this.
What will happen inside the Hall?
The stage will be brought back into use as soon as we can once the work starts.
Also we are looking to refurbish the kitchen in August – September
this year, and plans are already in hand to do this, in conjunction with
frequent users of the kitchen. While the kitchen is being replaced we can’t
book an event which needs it but we would hope to get the work done as quickly
as we can to minimise lack of availability.
Other work will be dependent on funding availability and how much volunteer
help we can get!
Are you looking for volunteers to undertake work within the
Hall?
Very definitely! People can help in all sorts of ways, from helping redecoration
inside the Hall, promoting and fund-raising for the next stages of the project,
or by becoming active on the Board. Ultimately we hope that the Trust will
have a volunteer base within the Hall, providing visitor information, and information
on the history and heritage of the Hall to visitors and locals alike.
Is that it then - has the original bigger scheme now been dropped?
For the longer term, the plan is still in place to purchase the
building and spend significant money to remodel/adapt it so
that a more flexible/enhanced and better used facility is available
for Moffat residents and visitors. This is likely to be done
in phases, and will take a number of years.
What
happens if more money can’t be found?
We are convinced that more money will be found to refurbish the interior of
the Hall, even if it takes quite a few years. However, even if this does
not happen quickly, the Hall will have been saved from deterioration to the
point where it may well have closed for good. We hope that it will be there
for at least the next 100 years!
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THE
TOWN HALL IS TAKING OFF!!
As you are doubtless aware, £600,000 has been committed by D&G Council
and Historic Scotland which will allow us to start transformation of the Hall.
Also, the Council is transferring control of the building to the Community via
the Trust. A lease with the Council will give us management of the Hall, including
letting it, and marketing of its use. Refurbishment of the kitchen is the first
priority for inside the Hall, and planning for this is well in hand.
Yours
sincerely,
Peter
Beck-Samuels
Chairman
PRESS
RELEASE: 24th April 2012
Historic Town Hall to get new look in autumn
The Historic Town Hall in Moffat is to kick-start its refurbishment
with a brand new kitchen this autumn, the board of trustees
has said.
At a busy open evening at the Town Hall last week, about 40 locals
quizzed trustees about their plans and learned more about the
list of repairs, as well as the history of the iconic building.
The trustees revealed that the major structural repairs would
take place over a period of about 10 months, starting in January
2013 and that wherever possible, local tradesmen would be used.
They also said that existing services and staff would remain
in place.
These dates and plans are dependent on the Trust signing the
lease with the Council, which is due to happen on 1st August
2012.
Chairman Peter Beck Samuels said: “The support of the Council
in all this has been vital and we have now developed a very positive
relationship.
“ We would like to thank everyone who came along and contributed
to a lively and positive evening. There were some very bright
ideas coming forward and we would urge everyone to keep in touch
as things start to happen.”
We
aim to refurbish and redevelop the Town Hall for the benefit
of the Community of Moffat and District
Moffat Town Hall is a Grade 2 listed, building built in 1827 as the Baths Hall
for Moffat Spa
There have been some changes to the building, but little in the way of major
refurbishment
The Hall was sold to Moffat Burgh Council under the estate of the Hope-Johnstone
family [local landowners] in 1966
The Hall is now owned and managed by Dumfries and Galloway Council
It is in a prominent position in the centre of the High Street, and is a
natural ‘centre
point ‘ for the Town
FUTURE
ACTIVITIES WITHIN THE TOWN HALL - We need your updates
The Trust has received lots of suggestions as to what activities
might take place in the Hall once it is redeveloped. Do you agree
with those suggestions, if so how strongly, and are their others
that you would like to see?
Please
download a form which we would like you to complete and send
to us at the address below
Click
Here for Form
Below:
busy in the Archive, Moffat Academy Students research the history
of
the Bath Hall
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