Work begins to improve Dingwall Town Hall

Efforts are being made to make the landmark building wind and waterproof.

Famously the Beatles played to an almost empty Dingwall Town Hall back in the 1960s while for decades it was used as a first choice base for events but in recent years it has fallen out of use.

In that time a leaking roof risked some of the many exhibits in the museum as rainwater made its way almost to the ground floor of the building, making it difficult and potentially unsafe in places.

Things began to change with the establishment of a Dingwall and Seaforth area committee whose business is concentrated on the ward alone – near the top of the to-do list was the Town Hall.

The cash for the work – described as an “urgent pressing need” – came from a successful bid to the Scottish Government’s Place Based Investment Programme allowing Planning and Listed Building Consent to be granted in July.

The contract was awarded to Compass Building and Construction Ltd in September and work is expected to last for 20 weeks, concentrating on the roof and repointing stonework, replacing rotten timbers, rainwater goods and external painter work.

But despite the work the hall will remain operational throughout as the vast majority of the work is external – good news for those pupils attending the Newton Room to brush up on their science, technology, engineering and maths.

Chairman of the local area committee Councillor Graham Mackenzie said: “This is not just a very significant investment in safeguarding the town hall, it is vital. We have seen what happens with other older buildings when they decay and fortunately work has begun to prevent that from happening in Dingwall.

“What we have to look to now and to keep in mind is that this is only the first stage. We must bring the Town Hall back into use and to search and fight for the funding so that this building is once again a venue.

“A venue that in days past was used for concerts, shows, pantomimes, plays and all manner of other events and entertainment. That surely has to be our objective.

“It also shows what can be done when all four local councillors are working together to deliver for the town. That is important too.”

Cllr Sean Kennedy shared that view, saying: "I am genuinely delighted to see this because it means that work to make the Town Hall wind and watertight will be undertaken throughout the winter.

"It is long overdue but it is great that the work has started and will be finished by the spring. It is not a small investment but even in a cost crisis I think it is a good investment.

"The point is that it will secure the town hall for future generations and hopefully at some point is it can be brought back into proper use, full-time use as the civic centre of Dingwall.

"It would be great to see the town hall used as a focus for concerts, music or any of the many other things it could be employed for."