A historic village hall, featured in the folklore of a remote Scottish village, has been restored to its former glory, thanks to the resolve of the local people and building firm Mike Forbes Ltd.
When Lonach Hall near the Cairngorms National Park, became semi-derelict, the community produced a compelling business plan for a £250,000 restoration project.
They said their community of Strathdon would not be the same without the hall, which had served as a focal point for village and business life for over a century, as well as the venue for the "Strathfest", a famous local arts festival.
Everyone, young and old, played their part in the restoration appeal. Children gave fund-raising piano recitals in the hall. Through various events, the villagers raised £60,000 with the balance coming from a variety of European, UK and regional grants and funds.
The Lonach Hall Community Association (LHCA) put the project out to tender and were won over by the enthusiasm and dedication of a firm of local builders, who were not only frequent visitors to the hall, but skilled in the restoration of listed buildings.
Builder Michael Forbes of Mike Forbes Ltd knew from bitter experience just how uncomfortable the old hall had become. He said: "When you have two to three feet of snow outside, no insulation inside and just electric heaters on the ceiling for warmth, it's not a place you want to be."
Following an intense four-month building project, the restored hall was unveiled this year in a celebration banquet hosted by the Laird of the Manor.
Externally, Mike and his team of builders and craftsmen succeeded in restoring the Hall's unique barrel vaulted roof, as well as installing new cladding, timbers and windows. Internally the hall boasts full insulation, state-of-the-art heating and a sprung dance floor.
Said Michael: "We recreated the building from the inside out. We stripped the roof and walls so all we were left with was the inside. We lifted the floor, putting in ducting for under-floor heating, then numbered all the boards and painstakingly put them back exactly how we'd found them."
Today the 250 square metre hall enjoys the comforts of the 21st Century, but still retains the essence and character of the original building.
Local villagers are reaping the rewards of their enterprise. "The hall is now being used frequently for business, cultural and social events and is very much a major lynchpin within the rural community of Strathdon," said LHCA project coordinator Vicky Thomson. "The approach taken by Mike and his team was very professional and every care was taken to minimise impact on the historic building, while ensuring its sustainability for future generations."
