As part of our farewell party for the old village hall, Gordon, from the The Ridge Foundations, came to chat to us about their approach to taking on the build of the new hall.
Old hall farewell party!
With the build of the new hall rapidly approaching, time has finally run out for the old hall that has served so many people so well for so long. For some 70 years, the old military shed has hosted pub quizzes, weddings, flower shows, and lots more.
We needed to send her off with a celebration, so today, the community gathered there for one last time. With tables laden with home baking, and a fridge full of champagne, we raised a final toast to the old girl in glorious sunshine!
Committee meeting, September 28th 2025
Highlights: The Ridge returned a second revision of costing details for the hall build. Pressing for final closure of the land purchase. Village hall requires a postal address for SPEN to disconnect the power! Planning for a farewell event for the old village hall.
Committee meeting, September 21st 2025
Highlights: Seeking final written funding agreement from CWP Energy. Unfortunately, the CARES funding for our renewables is no longer available, thanks to a change of government policy. Final project costs including all areas of spending has been totalled up.
Committee meeting, September 14th 2025
Highlights: OCA meetings are moving from monthly to weekly during the most intensive period of work towards the new hall. Final funding discussions are under way with CWP Energy. Land purchase is now all but complete – monies are being transferred to our solicitor to make payments. Stage 2 of hall cost refinements with The Ridge is underway.
Committee meeting, September 2nd 2025
Highlights: Defibrillator on the village hall has been provided with new paddles and is back in service. Bus stop has been agreed to be replaced by ELC with something in keeping and more accessible. After all tender responses for the hall have been received and reviewed, The Ridge Foundation is tentatively selected as our preferred contractor for the build!
Tender replies received!
We have now received all six tender responses from the contractors we submitted to. CSY have managed to make a summary table of the responses, showing the quote breakdowns “like-for-like”.
We have been in touch with our primary funders, Community Wind Power, as clearly, their view on choice of contractor and total cost is critical. Unfortunately, the contractor that built Abbey St Bathans’ hall, who were already well known to CWP, declined to submit tender for the project. However, we have plenty of other local contractors that come with recommendations from our architects and other sources!
The next stage then, is to decide on a first-choice contractor with input from CWP. We will then work with the chosen contractor to refine their quote to be as close as possible to exactly what we want for the final build.
A specialist asbestos handling company is booked to survey the existing hall at the end of this week. Getting this survey done now will speed the demolition along, no matter which contractor we go with in the end. If any asbestos is found, it will be safely removed by specialists.
Committee meeting, August 5th 2025
Highlights: Tender responses received for 4 of the 5 contractors, 1 still to come. Decision on the mandatory EV chargers is now critical for progress towards the hall build. Oldhamstocks For Nature doing lots of good work around the village!
Committee meeting, July 7th 2025
Highlights: Planning Conditions for the hall include providing 2 EV charging stations, the location for which has to be decided and confirmed with ELC before the hall build can commence. SORELL report that the deadline for representations to ECU regarding Springfield solar farm is 4th August.
Village hall plans out to tender
CSY have gone to tender with 5 contractors
Five contractors, who expressed an interest in tendering for the demolition and construction of the new VH, have been sent a comprehensive tender document by our architects CSY.
All five are local to East Lothian and the Borders area.
OCA committee have already started holding site meetings with the contractors to ensure that they have all the additional information they need to produce their costed proposals.