The group aiming to take over the running of one of Moray’s closure threatened halls is confident the lease can be signed at the start of next month.
Elgin Town Hall for the community working group has been fundraising through a crowdfunding campaign to raise money and cover the day-to-day costs of the building.
Now after achieving its £2,500 target, the group believes it is now in a financially stable position to run the hall starting on August 1.
Mike Devenney, chairman of the group said that the campaign was “vital” in gaining Moray Council’s trust that it could successfully lease the place.
“Our discussions with the council have pretty much concluded and that we are now awaiting receipt of the lease to sign,” he said.
“We are therefore very confident that, come August 1, we will be taking over the running of the Hall on behalf of the community.
“The importance of the crowdfunder in getting us to this point has been absolutely crucial, as it was worries that the council had about our cash level that was holding progress up.”
Moray Council opted to close seven town halls and community centres across the region at the end of June as part of its budget-setting process in order to save £248,000 over the next two years.
Fortunately for locals, short-term leases were confirmed for four of the buildings which will now become community-owned, while the other three will be run by the council for another month, with Elgin Town Hall one of those sites.
Mark Conti, vice chairman, said that the group was overjoyed at the amount of support received from not only locals but people further afield as well.
“The support we received for the crowdfunder was outstanding, with money coming in from locals and even people who don’t live in the region anymore but have fond memories of it were donating us money,” he said.
“It was critical for us to gain support and be seen as financially stable enough to take over the hall, and now all we have to do now is sign the lease.”