The lodge is alive with the sound of music

IN 2015 Dinwoodie Lodge was vacant and had been stripped bare by opportunistic thieves but flashforward four years and the former hotel is a vibrant artists’ hub, bursting with inhabitants. The lodge, a place many locals look back on so fondly, closed in 2014 after the sad death of owner Stephen Crawford. And just a year later the then empty hotel was ransacked, with thieves taking off with thousands of pounds worth of lead and copper. But a new dawn now has broken for the lodge. In 2017 it was purchased by four artists with the aim of creating an art collective. Co-owner Alex McGregor said: “We and a core group of friends have been involved together in creative industries for years, particularly on the music side of things. “We wanted a residence big enough to accommodate our wider circle and to be a creative hub. “Although music is a large part of everyone’s outlook, there are so many other artists involved . . . painters, poets, etc, that we felt that ‘Art Collective’ was the perfect umbrella for our set.” She added: “We wanted to be between Glasgow and Edinburgh but living in a more rural area as we had been previously up in Fife. We had planned to find a really tumble down farm and outbuilding to renovate, but the hotel popped up and we loved it.” The path to perfecting the unloved lodge was not straight forward for Alex and co but they showered the site in TLC to make it into a home fit for any artist. “When we turned on the water we lost three inner ceilings and the damage that comes when you fill a building with water. “We have done a lot of work on the inside and stamped our eccentric characters on it, especially in the bar area!” Following years of renovations, Alex and her family of artists decided to throw open the doors to the lodge and welcome locals. She said: “Initially it wasn’t part of our plan to have it open for public events but having heard so many stories from Lockerbie locals about the part the hotel had featured in their lives, we just thought it a shame not to do something.

“When we hold a public event we open the bar - we like to call it ‘The Hand of Glory’ pub after a film reference, there is the stage/performance area, the conservatory, garden and toilets - we also have a tiny gallery! “Everywhere else is private and we don’t offer hotel facilities such as rooms or food. “It sleeps a lot fewer than it used to as a hotel as many rooms have been repurposed for storage, as art rooms etc.” The Lodge Arts Collective team have also started throwing their own music event, entitled Live at the Lodge. Alex said: “We had kept the bar area just for fun, but the idea of making a really intimate and slightly off the wall music venue out of the space seemed like fun too. “Our very first Live At The Lodge evening was in January with a fantastic folk group that came up from Hull “On October 4 we have Dumfries favourites The Mind Sweepers playing alt indie style, supported by our own prog rock group Ebb. “When Live At The Lodge is on we fly a red flag outside.”

Meanwhile, the lodge also hosts ‘Drink and Draw’ sessions, a casual gathering to sketch a live art model whilst enjoying a tipple. The next event takes place on November 16. And the it is also home to Boudicca Records, a small independent record label, who represent three acts. Looking to involve themselves further in the community, Alex also hopes to eventually host a mini film festival and wants bands of all genres to play at the lodge. She said: “If you are a band that would like to play at the Lodge, an artist with an idea, or someone who would like something to happen then drop us an email via the website.”