MOFFAT TOWN HALL UPGRADE IN PROGRESS!

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!

We are always delighted to hear from anyone who is interested in the work that we are doing. Please contact us through the Town Hall Group on www.moffatonline.co.uk. Alternatively give us a ring on 01683 220227.