“This room was about to fall down,” Rosemary Munro tells me with a glance across the first floor of Number 30 in Huntly.
We are sitting in the recently revamped building overlooking The Square in Huntly.
Rosemary, a member of the Huntly Development Trust (HDT), paints a vivid picture of just how close to collapse this building had been before they swooped to the rescue.
“This whole area was held up from the cafe on the ground floor,” she explains.
“There were bits that were well and truly falling down, including a stairway.
“What is now the cafe, on the floor below, was absolutely packed solid with scaffolding that was holding the whole building up.”
As I look around at what is now a gleaming beacon of regeneration, it’s hard to believe Number 30 had been about to fall down just a few years ago.
I met up with three of the women instrumental in its redevelopment, and got a sneak peek around the building. We chatted about:
- The brand new 57-seater cinema which will bring the latest Hollywood hits to the town centre
- The dismal state the building was in when they first looked around
- And how one mum “burst into tears of joy” when she learned of a life-changing town centre disabled changing room
What’s the story behind Number 30 revamp?
I arrive in Huntly on quite a drab afternoon, with the grey sky matched by most of the buildings in The Square.
Number 30 stands out though. Its bright limestone, red window frames and ornate turret immediately grab your attention.
It had been surrounded by scaffolding for years, its architecture hidden behind scores of aluminium poles.
When the spruced up building was revealed, locals were amazed by the transformation.
Rosemary pops her head out the side door and greets me with a smile.
The tireless volunteer is one of many who have helped turn this decaying department store around.
HDT board member Claire Newman and building manager Nicola Baird are already inside, and we venture to my first stop on the tour.
We start at the top, in that learning zone I soon learn had been close to collapse.
So what’s this room all about?
It could be used for meetings and as working space, but the team want to keep an open mind about its uses…
Rosemary tells me: “You name it, it can be used for it.”
Reassured that the room won’t be caving in, we sit down to have a cup of tea and the ladies tell me all about the project.
How it all began…
Claire explains that it all started in 2018, when locals were asked to take part in a survey about what they wanted to see improved in Huntly.
The answer was emphatic: Restore The Square to its former glory.
By that time, Cruickshanks had been closed for just a year and locals were dismayed by the loss of a beloved local business.
The department store was as synonymous with the town as Dean’s Shortbread or the Gordon Highlanders.
It had been in business for 140 years when it shut. And nobody had any idea of what could become of the impressive building.
The listed landmark stood empty, without a purpose and slowly slipping into ruin.
HDT, however, were determined to do something. And they set about asking locals what they would want to see it used for.
They even got local primary school children involved.
They bought the building in 2019. But this was only the first step.
It was only after securing £3 million in funding from Aberdeenshire Council, the Scottish Government and private donors, they could really turn their dreams into a reality.
And they have definitely succeeded in doing so…
‘People don’t always have a vision, sometimes you have to paint it yourself’
We leave the learning zone and head into a new gallery next door.
Its walls are currently adorned with local art, featuring works by David Lloyd.
Despite it now featuring a peaked roof and being full of natural light, it has came a long way since HDT took control of the building.
Claire tells me that when she first entered the cavernous space, it was “dark and dingy”, with a flat roof and boarded up windows.
But with a bit of elbow grease, this modern, welcoming room is now the place-to-go for hosting conferences, private events and even a farmers market.
Nicola further highlights the “phenomenal undertaking” that the gallery has been through.
She tells me: “People don’t always have a vision, sometimes you have to paint it for them.”
‘The building should be entirely accessible to absolutely anybody’
Our next stop is at the changing place, a room which is specifically designed for those with severe disabilities.
It includes a height adjustable changing bench, a hoist system, and a shower.
The nearest facility of this kind to Huntly was in Alford, almost 18 miles away from Number 30.
Rosemary explains to me that due to this, “a lot of people don’t go out” and that those with disabilities may have “became prisoners of their own home”.
“Once the changing room was first talked about, we were all enthusiastic about it.”
The HDT board member then goes on to tell me the moment that the changing places room’s importance really hit home…
She explains that a woman burst into tears upon finding out about the plans, as she would be able to take her disabled son into the town centre worry free.
“It was really moving, and made it worth doing”, Claire adds.
“From the very start, we were determined that the building should be entirely accessible to absolutely anybody within the community.”
Cinema the star attraction of Number 30
We then take a trip downstairs to what is the star attraction of Huntly’s regenerated Number 30: The cinema.
It boasts 57 seats and the ability to screen the newest blockbusters, live sports and concerts.
It has come a long way since the trust first took over the building.
What once was the shopfloor, spread across two levels, has now been converted into the screening space.
The group are most pleased about being able to bring a cinema to the town, as residents would previously have had to travel to places like Elgin or Aberdeen to take in the silver screen.
It will be the first time the town has had a cinema since the Playhouse was closed in 1970.
‘Huntly-built, Huntly-run, Huntly-owned’
The final piece of the puzzle is the cafe, which is still being done up ahead of the building’s opening – hoped to be within months.
Meanwhile, an empty space has been carved out on the ground floor for a shop, which would further add to the buzz in the building.
Volunteers are still seeking the right person for the unit.
When complete, they hope it will be an anchor project kick-starting the regeneration of the whole town centre.
Regeneration has been a huge talking point across north-east cities and towns, with projects in both Aberdeen and Peterhead aimed at giving the communities a facelift.
Rosemary says the work has already inspired some other efforts…
She adds: “We’ve probably seen a little measure of success in that other people have started to want to do things in The Square.
“Huntly was a place that was in danger of becoming fractured.
“There was nothing going on in the town centre. Buildings were beginning to become very shabby and I think people were quite demoralised about it.
“Regeneration is happening organically, and we can’t possibly do the whole lot for the whole of Huntly, but we’ve got the ball rolling.”
‘The communities response has exceed expectation’
Ultimately, Claire hopes the building will be “something the people of Huntly can be proud of”.
She smiles: “When people come in, they are just amazed that what they’ve known as a darkened department store can be this amazing, modern, bright, and welcoming space.”
Rosemary adds: “I think that’s the fundamental thing, it needs to be full of people and used by the locals.
“I want to see people who I know from Huntly using this building and feeling that it’s their building, not my building or Claire’s building, but a branch for this community.”
What next for Number 30?
As I finish up my chat with Claire, Nicola and Rosemary, we take one last walk down the main corridor.
One thing that stands out is the swifts emboldened across the walls and doors.
Swifts have become one of the main symbols of Huntly, as they have a strong native presence in the area despite being endangered.
Huntly has banded together to conserve swifts habitats, and make sure their continued arrival from Africa in May can mark future summers.
They feel appropriate at Number 30.
Despite looking down and out, the building has been able to spread its wings – and now it’s about to soar again.
What do you think of the new Number 30 in Huntly? Let us know in our comments section below
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