Campaigners fighting to preserve a treasured community hall in Moray are poised to sign a lease to preserve its future.
The Fisherman’s Hall in Buckie was due to shut at the end of the month unless a viable group could be found to take it on.
Now a group set up with the sole intention of keeping the doors open could sign a lease for the popular facility before the end of next week.
Locals responded to a rallying call when Moray Council announced plans to shut the Fisherman’s Hall and five other similar buildings in December last year.
The group in Buckie is the first to advance to the stage of signing a six-month lease to keep the doors open while final proposals about the long-term future are drawn up.
Glen Campbell, chairman of the Friends of the Fisherman’s Hall, which will sign the lease, said: “It’s big relief to be getting the keys but it’s really just the start of the next stage.
“We’ve still got to look at the CAT (community asset transfer) process. The lease will give us time though that we need. We’re getting help with the running costs during that time too, which is another bonus.
“It’s amazing to think how far we’ve come. It’s down to the support from the community though, they wouldn’t let it close.”
Last week, the Friends of the Fisherman’s Hall was aided in their drive to take over the building by gaining charitable status – paving the way to establish The Fisherman’s Hall Trust.
A quiz night held at the venue on Friday brought the group’s fundraising total to £7,500 since its formation.
It is understood the lease for the Buckie hall will be used as a template for similar groups in Elgin, Forres, Findochty, Cullen and Keith once they advance to that stage.
Moray communities encouraged to take ownership of town halls to make them thrive again
Yesterday, Buckie councillor Sonya Warren described the Fisherman’s Hall campaigners as an “example to follow”.
She said: “They’ve done a phenomenal amount of work. There’s been a tremendous amount of input and effort and it’s involved the whole community.
“It’s almost unbelievable how far they’ve come in a relatively short period of time.”
