After the Second World War, the Easter Ross Seaboard villages of Shandwick, Balintore and Hilton raised a community hall - the Seaboard Memorial Hall. More than 50 years later, however, this well used local centre had reached the end of its days: by now cold and damp, and with a leaky roof, the community decided it was time for a replacement. A local fundraising campaign generated £50,000 and a capital grant of £500,000 was secured from the Lottery. In 2002 a new Memorial Hall was opened; a bright, modern, multi-purpose building, fit for new century.
The new Memorial Hall, which operates as a Company Limited By Guarantee, serves a population of around 1,200 and is hugely popular. As Anne Williamson, their Account Manager with HIE puts it, "Everything that happens in that area happens in the Hall". However, with little in the way of grants to run and maintain the Hall, the board has had to find creative ways to balance the books: as well as income from hall lets to community groups, it hires out space to public bodies for outreach services, and more recently has added a social enterprise dimension.
The Hall, which overlooks the Moray Firth, has one large main hall, two smaller meeting rooms, an office, café and kitchen. As a community centre, it provides space for everything from indoor bowls to old time dancing, hires out a bouncy castle, PA systems and other equipment for local events, and produces the Seaboard Community News. As a service centre it provides space for the NHS, police and the council to deliver community education classes, the annual flu clinic, mother and baby clinic and various information and advice sessions. With poor public transport links to the nearest town this is a great boon.
However, while these two sources of income are important, and have scope for development, it is the social enterprise side that could provide much of the extra income the Hall needs for long-term sustainability. Over the last two years a lot of effort has gone in both to upgrade the café and kitchen facilities, and to market the Hall for events. This effort is paying off.
The café, which seats 40, was full every week over the past summer. Hall Manager Lynda Durrand says, "Because we advertised just a little further afield this year we've had people coming who we've never seen before: some on holiday, some have come for a day out". With home cooked meals like mince and tatties and fish and chips, the café appeals to all ages and turnover has increased by more than 50% in just a few months. The café now has two full-time staff.
The recent kitchen upgrade also makes it possible to offer a more professional catering service for events like birthday parties, anniversaries, funeral teas and even weddings. An unexpected hit has been the wedding side. With no other suitable venue locally, the management team had the idea of buying an indoor marquee lining for the main hall; this transforms the space into an attractive venue for up to 200 people. They now have a Wedding Brochure that sets out various seating and catering options and have negotiated discounts with local florists, car hire firms and other specialists for anyone booking the hall. Weddings involve long hours and hard work for staff and volunteers, but are worth it financially and socially. Lynda points out that, "People come here because they want a wedding they can afford, but they still want 100 people at it and they want it to be nice. That's what we give them".
Bookings for other events are also growing. Well attended funerals are common in small communities and the Hall is the only place that can cater for a large funeral tea. Organisations are also using it as a venue for training: the Fish Industry Training Board recently put on a three day course, and the Richmond Fellowship uses it to train its local carers.
The Seaboard area has suffered a loss of employment since the 1980's, so the jobs created by the Hall are welcome. Also welcome are the opportunities for other local businesses and entrepreneurs: not just the florists and car hire firms but for the caterers brought in for the weddings and the individual who recently started making cakes for the café and for evening wedding receptions.
HIE has supported the Hall for many years and particularly with this change of emphasis towards social enterprise. HIE contributed towards the cost of the recent kitchen upgrade and worked with them on their marketing and governance arrangements. This ongoing relationship is much appreciated. Lynda says, "We can phone up Anne anytime and she'll help with anything we need".
For her part, Anne Williamson has come to know the personalities involved very well. "One of the reasons for its success is Maureen Ross (the Chair) who won an MBE for her efforts. The other is Lynda, who a real entrepreneur. We saw right away they had real potential as a social enterprise and the best thing for me has been to see the trading side expand so quickly. This has to be good for the wider economic wellbeing of an area that is recognised as a deprived part of the Highlands".
Business information: (figures correct as of 10 December 2010):
- Traded turnover: £50,683
- Employees - 3
- Assets - Memorial hall and equipment
(latest figures as at 10.12.10)
For further information visit www.seaboardvillages.com or call HIE's Inner Moray Firth area office on 01349 868360
