Ambitious programme to refurbish Culrain Hall continues with replacement of exterior cladding
Work has started to replace the external cladding on the Culrain Hall, writes hall management committee chairman Graham Charge.
Tain joiner Brian Murcar has been engaged to carry out the work, which is expected to take most of June to complete.
The hall was originally a World War II RAF hut that stood at RAF Sango near Durness.
It was purchased in 1956 by the village of Culrain for use as a community hall and has been in continuous use ever since.
Repairs to the hall building became an urgent matter in 2022 when a programme of repairs was initiated.
This has seen a new roof and new rafters, repairs to the stage, electrical rewiring, and a new store annexe and food larder built.
The new wooden cladding will retain the character of the building and replace the existing wood cladding. This work will ensure the walls are watertight for generations to come.
It should also put an end to the constant problem of wasp and bee nests that the hall committee has had to deal with in recent years.
Generous support from the SSE Renewables Achany Community Fund and the RWE Rosehall Windfarm Community Fund has funded the current work, with a significant contribution from hall funds after a very successful fundraising effort by the committee last year.