Backlash over sale of Golspie church building
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A move to sell a historic church building in Golspie has provoked an outcry locally.
Objectors say it is unfair that the Church of Scotland will benefit from the sale of Fountain Road Church Hall, given the thousands of pounds of public money spent on upgrading it.
It is claimed the funding was forthcoming on the strength that the hall would be a community asset.
Golspie resident Kevin Macnicol has called on the hall to be given to the community as a “token gesture.”
He said: “I don’t see how the Church of Scotland can sell Fountain Road hall - it was public money that paid for its refurbishment.
The 114-year-old building originally belonged to the United Free Church.
In 1936 it united with St Andrew’s Church of Scotland and services were held in both churches on alternate weeks. Then in 1968, it was decided to sell the pews and pulpit from Fountain Road Church and use it as a hall.
The building was extensively upgraded in recent years with funding from grant awarding bodies, including windfarm community benefit funds, as well as money raised by the St Andrew’s congregation.
Owned and operated by St Andrew’s, the hall is used extensively by community groups.
It hit the headlines in 2017 when a request to hold a humanist funeral there was rejected.
It was put on the market last month with offers of around £200,000 invited.
Suggestions for its use include as a creche, day nursery, educational establishment, museum or retail outlet.
Sheila Macdonald is in agreement with Kevin Macnicol, saying: “The church should not be selling the hall but giving it to the village of Golspie.”
Zorcha Hutchison posted on social media: “It is an outrage. So much public money has gone into it and it’s used so much by the community.”
And Penny Macrae posted: “If memory serves me right, I think they were funded £100,000 from wind farms for the refurbishment and yes, if the church is sold, unfortunately the money will go to Edinburgh. Wind farm money should stay in the village.”
A Church of Scotland spokeswoman said: “The congregation of St Andrew’s Golspie has decided to sell its church hall after running it for many years at a considerable cost.
“During its lifetime the hall has been used by a number of youth and community groups beyond the church.
"The local congregation has been happy to accommodate community groups, but can no longer afford to carry the running costs.
“About 10 years ago the hall was refurbished with help from windfarm community funds, to the benefit of everyone who continued to use the building.
"However, the financial burden of day-to-day costs as well as the maintenance and insurance, which the congregation has borne for many decades, has taken its toll and left them with little choice but to sell.”
