Background info on the project and donation details for anyone who wishes to contribute towards the cost of the project can be found at the bottom of this page.

Updates on the progress of the project are below, with the newest information listed first.

        

The Development Phase of the project is going well. We have instructed our Conservation Architect, Martin Hadlington to now develop his original sketch plans. Meanwhile Jura Consultants have nearly completed the Activity Plan, which incoporates many of the ideas suggested by those who attended the Consultation Day or completed the survey. However, they have also come up with many very exciting other ideas, particularly what we might do to celebrate the Centenary itself. They are also working on the Business Plan to see what is financially possible and sustainable. David Campbell of Campbell & Co. is looking at the Interpretive Plan for the main auditorium and what might happen in the annexe.

Various fund raising initiatives are underway. Already a garden has been opened for the project's benefit. A film quiz will be available shortly and a Coffee Morning will be held in the Red Cross Hall on 4th June. The recent final visit of HMS Campbeltown will be celebrated with a CD/DVD compiled from the many, many photographs taken by over 20 different people, who have generously donated their photos. It will be available shortly at £10, with all the proceeds going to The Centenary Fund. Meanwhile discussions with Historic Scotland, Highlands & Islands Enterprise and LEADER are also underway for funding and also applications will be made to national grant giving trusts.

The Design Team and CCB Ltd met to discuss progress of the project following a visit to the Hippodrome Cinema in Bo'ness on 8th February. Local consultations were going well with nearly 100 on-line surveys and 10 hard copy surveys returned. The possibility of talking to people in the street was also suggested to get additional views. There will be a further press release to remind public.

Discussions about the use of the interior space of the cinema and annexe continue with no firm decisions being made at present. Suggested options include; cafe facilities, an exhibition space, a second smaller screen, outdoor seating in the courtyard with possibly a childrens play area. Additional opportunities to help the viability of the cinema business were also discussed.

Martin Hadlington said that there may be a possibility for additional revenue from renewables. The south facing roofs could be fitted with photovoltaic solar panels which could produce an income of £5000 to £10,000 per year.

A good turnout of local people came along to the Campbeltown Town Hall to listen to a presentation by conservation architect, Martin Hadlington and representatives from Jura Consultants. The presentation also allowed people to have their say about the future of the cinema. They heard how the Picture House is 100 years old in 2013 and work is currently taking place to conserve and restore the interior of the building, bring the annexe back to life and to give the cinema a sustainable future.

'This is a building of international historic importance, right here in Campbeltown,' said Martin Hadlington speaking to the local newspaper, The Campbeltown Courier. He added, 'It was built only seven years after the oldest cinema in the world and is unique in that it has remained as a cinema throughout its life and its historic interior is intact.'

This was the first scheduled update by Martin Hadlington to the CCB Board. The reports previously received from the Design Team covering the Structural, Mechanical/Electrical and Services of the cinema were discussed at the meeting.

A major item arising out of the Internal Structural report was the condition of the steel beams in the balcony floor as rectification of this could have considerable impact on the project costs. There were no reported problems with the external structure though some external site investigation works may need to be carried out.
Nothing identified from the Mechanical/Electrical report required further action at this stage although initial indications are that some waterproof sealing may be required under the floor of the auditorium and in the (current) boiler house.
The Services report concluded that sufficient knowledge is available in-house of the various services and their location to enable initial design work to be carried out.

Martin Hadlington gave a report on his own progress so far. He mentioned that he had had a first site meeting with the Argyll & Bute Conservation Officer who is very supportive of the project and pleased to be involved at this early stage. Martin also tabled his latest conceptual sketch with a more conventional design for the annexe roof. Discussions highlighted the need for the final design to incorporate good access for maintenance and cleaning of roof areas.

Martin will be attending the Open Day to be conducted in The Town Hall on Tuesday 1st February and it is intended that he will introduce each of the planned presentations.

The planning phase of a project to enhance Campbeltown Picture House begins in earnest with a programme of consultation, starting with an open day to discuss ideas and proposals on Tuesday 1st February 2011. Jura Consultants, a consultancy firm specialising in the improvement of historic and cultural buildings will be holding a public consultation event at the Council Chambers in the Campbeltown Town Hall. Members of the community are welcome to stop in at 2pm, 4pm or 7pm that day to hear a short presentation about the project, ask questions and contribute their opinions and ideas on the options being considered to improve the Picture House.

Anyone who would like to comment on the proposals but is unable to attend the consultation can contact Jura Consultants direct by e-mailing admin@jura-consultants.co.uk or by filling out the online questionnaire at http://www.tinyurl.com/weepictures

CCB Board members met with Jura Consultants and Campbell & Co today to discuss the Business Plan and Activity Plan. Jura Consultants stressed that the initial aim was to work towards celebrating the Centenary of The Picture House. Their immediate issue was to define a brief for the Design Team to work to and start a period of public consultation.

The public consultation will take the form of an open meeting with a number of short presentations on the project and the opportunity for the community to give feedback. Venue and date still to be decided. An on-line questionnaire will also be prepared with link published in the Courier, Picture House website and elsewhere.

The first meeting with the newly appointed Design Team took place today. The team were welcomed by the Board with introductions being made between all attending. The Design Team members stressed that the majority of their work was concerned with historic buildings.

The aspirations of the Board were discussed with the main priority being to create a new sustainable business, closely followed by a top quality restoration of the cinema. Key dates and a timetable for the project development were agreed. Tours of the premises were conducted during the showing of a film and more intensively at the end of the meeting.

Further meetings are planned for January 2011.

Contracts for the Development Phase of The Centenary Project have now been awarded. Martin Hadlington, Conservation Architect, will lead a strong Design Team. He will be supported by Morham & Brotchie, Quantity Surveyors; David Narro Associates, Structural Engineers; Irons Foulne, Energy Consultants and CDM Scotland as Construction Design Management Co-ordinators. All are experienced in working on heritage projects.

They will be joined by Jura Consultants for the Activity and Business planning and Campbell and Co. for the Interpretive and Exhibition plan.

The Board of Directors is delighted that such a high quality team has been appointed and will hold the first meeting with the Design Team on 16th December 2010.

The Directors of Campbeltown Community Business and The Picture House are delighted to announce that the Heritage Lottery Fund has awarded this project a first-round pass of £700,000. This award is to conserve the interior of The Picture House and bring the annex back into use by joining the two buildings together.



The cinema-going experience of the visiting public will be enhanced with a new kiosk, café bar and the introduction of digital and 3-D projection. Also within this new space an historical interpretative exhibition will be created, using the iconic MacGrory Photographic collection which portrays the social history of Campbeltown and Kintyre during the 1890s and early 1900s.

A further small auditorium will be built in the courtyard to provide an additional screen for the showing of other films and the audio visual history of the area over the past centuries. This will provide a further income stream to ensure the financial survival of The Picture House. It will also enable us to open the doors during the daytime for visitors and locals alike. The completed project is expected to cost in the region of £1.7 million.

HLF also awarded a grant of £70,000 for Development Funding. Augmented by a grant of £23,623 from LEADER the Directors will spend the next six months working on the plans ready to submit a Round Two application to HLF in June 2011. Contracts for this work will be awarded very shortly and regular updates will be placed on this page.

The final project has been provisionally costed at £1,740,000, pending the development work. If success is achieved at Round Two, then HLF will cover 40% of the costs. It is hoped that other funders like Historic Scotland, LEADER and HIE will contribute towards the balance of the project.

If you wish to contribute, a Picture House Centenary Fund account has been opened and donations can be sent to the Picture House office, handed to a member of staff or you can make a donation online by clicking the button below. The Board of Directors urges all those interested in the preservation of this very special building to support this project.