Ideas aplenty for future use of Victorian Seaman’s Hall as current trustees explore options with Nairn charity Green Hive
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Almost 100 people attended a highly successful ‘open house’ to give their views on the future of the Victorian Seaman’s Hall.
The current trustees are exploring with Nairn charity Green Hive ways to ensure that it is restored as a welcoming, environmentally adapted centre that everyone in Nairn can enjoy for many years to come.
Early ideas have been developed by Oberlanders Architects and were on show at the Harbour Street venue.
Green Hive chairman Simon Noble said: “Ideas ranged from using the hall for dance and fitness classes, choirs, weddings and anniversaries to craft fairs, farmers’ markets, and a clothes and toy exchange. There was strong support for the idea of a drop-in centre for tea and coffee and a chat, somewhere cosy and welcoming for all the community.
“Many said how pleased they were to think of the hall being available again to the community, honouring its long tradition as an important part of Fishertown’s heritage.”
The hall has been closed for most of the pandemic, with the exception of being used for elections.
Prior to that its only income was from indoor bowling and trustee chairman Ninian Coggs said bowling club membership had fallen from 100 to 30 and it was the objective of the trustees to find a sustainable future for the hall.
Indoor bowler Helen Petrie said she felt not enough had been done to promote the use of the hall.
“I would still like to see my bowling continue and hope that it will continue,” she said. “But I don’t think it will.”
John Urquhart said there many organisations in the town needing accommodation including the Scout movement.
Mr Urquhart added: “It is up to the trustees at the end of the day, but a lot of people in the fishing community are unhappy at the way this has been handled.
“There was no consultation before it emerged the trustees were in talks with Green Hive. It doesn’t seem right that the people running the survey are the people who want to take it on.
“It will take good management and a lot of investment to make this work and if it doesn’t, what happens to the hall?”
There is still time to give your views as part of the consultation being run by Community Enterprise, either online at Survey Monkey or paper copies can be picked up and dropped off at the town’s library, Nairn Community and Arts Centre and Green Hive workshop.
