Dumfriesshire community to save their 86-year-old hall

dailyrecord.co.uk:

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.”Ba