Johshaven has marked a red letter day for its historic village hall with the opening of new facilities to see it set for the future.
As the one-time temperance hall building approaches its 150th anniversary, the community raised a glass to local developer Fotheringham Homes for building and financing a new annexe as part of a refurbishment project.
It was completed over the summer and features accessible toilets as well as an upstairs multipurpose room.
The upstairs room has been designed to complement the existing hall and connects to the main hall through a hatch, allowing it to be used as a stage control room.
Plagued by dampness in recent years, the old toilet block was housed in a Victorian cottage that had been fitted out in the 1970s and linked by a foyer to the main hall.
It was in desperate need of improvement as the toilets could only be reached by stairs, making it impossible to access for wheelchair users and those with mobility issues.
Developer obligation contribution from The Beaches
In 2018, Johnshaven Village Hall committee consulted with the local community on a proposal to improve and extend the facilities
Annexe plans were drawn up pro-bono by local architectural firm Inspired Design & Development Ltd.
But despite securing planning permission, the committee’s initial attempts at raising funds for the build were unsuccessful.
Luckily for the village hall committee, when Fotheringham Homes was given the go ahead to build The Beaches, its development of 71 new-build homes in Johnshaven, the company was looking for a local community project to support as part of its planning obligation.
The hall committee put in a proposal that was supported by Fotheringham Homes and were delighted when it was accepted by Aberdeenshire Council.
Fotheringham Homes director Michael Fotheringham said: “We were thrilled to be able to build and finance the new annexe for Johnshaven village hall.
“There can be a lot of complexity when managing construction projects like these so we were more than happy to do our part for the community and lend our expertise in order to create this amazing space that the whole village and local area can benefit from.”
Hall committee chairwoman Karelia Wright said: “We’d like to thank Michael and all his team at Fotheringham Homes for their willingness to listen and to work with us on this venture.
“In the care and generosity they have shown and the professionalism and skill they have brought to this project, they have gone over and above what might have been expected.
“The fantastic new annexe which they have built and fitted out to such a high standard provides a legacy that will be appreciated for many years to come by those who use our hall.”
Fascinating history
The hall has an interesting past.
It was built in 1879 at a cost of £300 and started on a sober note as a Good Templars’ Hall.
As the temperance movement went into decline in Scotland, the hall was taken into private ownership.
It then became a tattie store before being purchased for the village in 1957.
Since then, the hall has been the social heart of Johnshaven.
Its walls have witnessed many great events from tea dances and ceilidhs to band nights, pantomimes and live theatre.
And it remains a hub for groups and clubs including the Guides, bowling, bridge and the Catch Up Cafe.
It also hosts workshops and courses run by local artist Rebecca Westguard.
The committee has plans to raise funds for stage lighting, a sound system and a film projector to improve the range of events that can be offered.
They also hope the new upstairs multipurpose room will help increase income, helping to keep hire costs as low as possible for local residents.
