An historic Dumfriesshire community hall is to be saved thanks to a funding package totalling almost £280,000 being secured by hard-working residents.
The Barbour Memorial Hall has been a prominent feature of community life in Glencaple near Dumfries for the past 86 years but time and the elements have taken their toll and its ageing condition has placed its future at risk.
However, the current committee of voluntary trustees who run it as a charity have rolled up their sleeves and got their thinking caps on to save it for today’s – and future – generations.
They have focused on a fundraising programme to enable urgent repair, renovation and modernisation and the final jigsaw has fallen into place this week with a bumper £226,998 from the UK Government’s Community Ownership Fund.
It adds to £50,554 of match funding awarded by Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Coastal Benefit, along with the £2,000 raised by the community through local fundraising events.
And delighted trustees have revealed that the essential exterior repair and renovation work will start in the New Year – and is scheduled for completion by autumn 2025.
Alice Wilson, chairperson of Barbour Memorial Hall SCIO said: “With the current poor condition of the hall placing its future at risk, we’re delighted and relieved that with this funding we can now secure its future use to continue to enrich and enhance community life in our area for future generations.
“We’re extremely grateful to the UK Government’s Community Ownership Fund and Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Coastal Benefit Fund for this funding to enable significant renovation to Barbour Memorial Hall.
“We would also like to thank our community for their generous support to our consultations and fundraising.”
Barbour Memorial Hall opened in 1938, built to create social and recreation space for Glencaple village and the surrounding Caerlaverock area following the generous bequest of funds from a Mr James Barbour of Dumfries, and donation of land by the Caerlaverock Estate.
Additional funds were secured from The Carnegie Trust and through community fundraising and it has meant that the hall has played a key role in the social fabric of the area – hosting countless weddings, concerts, parties, meetings, dances
and sports events over the decades.
Now, the cash raised will ensure it meets the needs of the 21st Century.
The works will include extensive exterior improvements to the hall including a new roof, the addition of external wall insulation and new access ramps – all essential to address weather-related damage and to modernise outdated structures that in their current condition are threatening future use of the hall.
It will also enable improved energy efficiency of the building and provide better access for hall users.
All efforts will be made to minimise disruption to current use of the hall to enable regular events to continue during the works.