Group has grand plans to transform hall

A CHARITY group is preparing to transform a community hall after being given full ownership of the building last week. Dumfries and Galloway Council handed over New Luce Memorial Hall on Main Street to New Luce Memorial Hall SCIO, in a community asset transfer (CAT) deal. In recent years, the group of volunteers have been responsible for improving the facilities, and recently installed EV chargers and added designated parking bays outside the hall. Now with full ownership of the hall, the committee can press ahead with their five-year business plan, which includes a full refurbishment of the hall. Councillors rubber-stamped the CAT deal at the council’s economy and infrastructure committee last Tuesday. Mid Galloway and Wigtown West Councillor Richard Marsh said: “I’m very glad to see this come forward. The proposal was agreed unanimously at Wigtown area committee. “A volunteer group has been diligently looking after this asset since the early 1990s. “Now the New Luce Memorial Hall SCIO is taking stewardship of this building and that community has a guaranteed track record of delivery – be it the community council, be it the development trust, or in this case the new memorial hall. “I have no doubt that this will again become a future-proofed hub of that community.” Councillor Marsh proposed that full ownership be granted to the community group, with no attached conditions. This was backed by fellow Mid Galloway and Wigtown West Councillor Katie Hagmann, who said: “New Luce village is a really small community, but when you see the amount of activity that’s happening in this community, I think it absolutely has to be commended. “There’s actually further ambitions here for a changing places facility as well, which I absolutely welcome. “So I think it’s just testament to our fantastic communities across Wigtownshire across the west of the region and that there is a real appetite to take forward and transform these hubs.” In the past five years, New Luce Memorial Hall SCIO members have been responsible for the installation of a fitness suite, an IT centre, full cinema facilities, and furnishing the building. Their five-year business plan includes a range of developments, including a full refurbishment of the building to modernise it and better serve the community. The hall also serves as the community resilience centre for the village. It has a defibrillator within the building, with locals getting life-saving training on a regular basis. When asked about the benefits a community asset transfer will bring the area, the committee members wrote in their application: “The hall will be community used and owned by local volunteers who want the hall to be a focal point of the village for community use.”