The future of Cullivoe Community Hall in Shetland as a leading live music venue looks secure as major renovation work is completed.

The village hall is one of the most popular music venues outside Lerwick.  It is renowned for staging traditional fiddle performances, as well as being an important part of the vibrant Yell community, but a lack of local accommodation for visiting musicians was hampering the hall committee's attempts to host larger events.

The hall needed major work to comply with Health and Safety regulations and the committee decided to combine the essential work with an extension to provide self-catering accommodation for up to ten people. 

The committee is now able to provide basic lodgings for musicians as well as generating an income by renting the rooms to youth groups, as Robert Henderson from the Cullivoe Hall Committee explains:

"The improvements at the hall will allow us to promote Cullivoe as a venue for a wide variety of events in the future as well as offering improved facilities for the community.  The common room and kitchen will allow youth groups to meet or visiting groups to stay for weekends if desired.  It is also a much better environment for the local Doctor to hold surgeries.  We will be able to stage more events than before, which will help generate funds towards upgrading parts of the building not included in this renovation.

"The building work is finally complete and we are looking forward to having an official opening on 18 January next year."

The £186,832 project saw the upgrade of floor coverings and kitchen facilities, and the provision of a common room.  The extension will incorporate two toilets and showers, a kitchen and dining area, a common room which will double as a doctor's consulting room, and four bedrooms which can accommodate up to ten people

The hall committee has raised almost £46,000 over the past eight years towards the project.  A successful application to Shetland Islands Council and Yell Community Council secured further funding.  Finally a Community Action Grant of £20,000 from Shetland Enterprise, which was matched by £20,000 from the Challenge Fund, completed the funding allowing construction to begin in July this year.

Jane Thomas, community development manager at Shetland Enterprise welcomed the development:  "The village hall plays an important role in rural communities - especially so on the island of Yell.  Assisting this project fits well with our aim to help foster strong communities and will enable the people of Cullivoe to pursue their own development and celebrate the important role of music within their community."