Kirkintilloch Town Hall

Kirkintilloch Town Hall in the early 1900s

Kirkintilloch Town Hall is a category B listed building in Kirkintilloch, East Dunbartonshire, Scotland.[1][2][3]

Construction

The building was opened in July 1906 and had cost £11,000 to build.[1] It was paid for by public subscription.[4]

Closure

After being found to be unsafe the Hall was closed on June 30, 2004[5] and has lain derelict ever since.[6] It was closed by East Dunbartonshire Council in June 2004, largely due to the anticipated expense of restoring a building constructed of notoriously crumbling soft sandstone. In response the Kirkintilloch Town Hall Preservation Trust was established as a registered charity to preserve the Hall and restore it for community use. By 2011 the only visible progress was the demolitoion of a small extension to the Town Hall. In November 2010 rats were sighted inside the building and concerns were expressed that the hall could be infested with them. [7] After the local newspaper asked East Dunbartonshire Council to see inside the building, the council turned down the request on the grounds of health and safety. Campsie and Kirkintilloch North councillor Charles Kennedy said that this showed how much the premises had deteriorated and called for their demolition.[8] In December 2011 the Kirkintilloch Herald's request for access was granted and the paper reported on the buildings condition; parts of the ceiling on one side of the hall had fallen onto the floor and there was debris lying all around,lots of dampness and crumbling paintwork. East Dunbartonshire Council stated that extensive dry rot and general fabric deterioration were the main problems with the Hall.[9]

Redevelopment

In the early summer of 2016 work began on the redevelopment of the hall into a centre for heritage, arts and culture; with work planned to be finished by summer 2017.[10] [11] In July 2016, and in the course of works being done as part of the redevelopment, a number of Roman items were discovered in the building's car park, including pottery and a nail.[12]

References

  1. 1 2 "Kirkintilloch Town Hall (Former), SCT Ref No 1295, Dunbartonshire (East)". Buildingsatrisk.org.uk. Retrieved 2011-11-30.
  2. ↑ "Listed Building Report". Hsewsf.sedsh.gov.uk. 2002-05-28. Retrieved 2011-12-06.
  3. ↑ "Union Street, Kirkintilloch Town Hall - Kirkintilloch - East Dunbartonshire - Scotland". British Listed Buildings. 2002-05-28. Retrieved 2011-12-27.
  4. ↑ Kirkintilloch Townhall Preservation Trust. "Kirkintilloch Townhall Preservation Trust". Lenzie.org.uk. Retrieved 2011-12-27.
  5. ↑ "Fury over town hall clearance - Local Headlines". Kirkintilloch Herald. 2004-07-13. Retrieved 2011-11-30.
  6. ↑ "You can't go near the town hall ... and that's official! - Local Headlines". Kirkintilloch Herald. 2011-11-28. Retrieved 2011-11-30.
  7. ↑ "Rats invade town hall? - Local Headlines". Kirkintilloch Herald. 2010-11-23. Retrieved 2011-11-30.
  8. ↑ "Tear down Kirkintilloch Town Hall – it's just not safe, claims councillor - Local Headlines". Kirkintilloch Herald. 2011-12-02. Retrieved 2011-12-04.
  9. ↑ "Can run-down Kirkintilloch Town Hall really be saved? - Local Headlines". Kirkintilloch Herald. 2011-12-27. Retrieved 2011-12-27.
  10. ↑ "Work starts to rejuvenate iconic town hall". www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk. 23 May 2016. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
  11. ↑ "Work about to get underway on town hall - section of Union Street near Cowgate will be closed". www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk. 15 April 2016. Retrieved 23 August 2016.
  12. ↑ News, B. B. C. "Roman artefacts discovered at Kirkintilloch Town Hall". BBC News. Retrieved 2016-08-25.

Coordinates: 55°56′24″N 4°09′30″W / 55.9400°N 4.1582°W / 55.9400; -4.1582

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