Buy Wigtown Bank of Scotland Bldg
Donation protected
Wigtown & Bladnoch Community Initiative is a company registered in Scotland, established in 2016 to help Wigtown flourish. The company is community owned and covers the area of the former Royal Burgh of Wigtown. The company’s purposes include advancing community development through rural or urban regeneration, and improving the environment through preservation, sustainable development and conservation of the natural and built environment.
The Initiative has a registered Community interest in 21 North Main Street, Wigtown – the former Bank of Scotland building, and the Scottish Government has approved our purchase under Community Right to Buy legislation.
We are waiting to hear from the Scottish Land Fund about our stage 2 application for funding to buy the bank building. We are fairly confident this will be approved, and if so, 95% of the purchase costs would be awarded. We hoped that the Bank of Scotland might assist the community purchase by agreeing a discount on the purchase price but they have declined. The Initiative therefore needs to raise about £8000 to complete the purchase. The GoFundMe appeal is to raise that final 5%.
Once purchased, what is proposed for the building?
Affordable flats – convert upstairs into a family size affordable flat; and convert the back part of the ground floor into a fully accessible one bedroom affordable pensioner flat. These tenancies would be for people with local connection; our research has shown that there are lots of people struggling to find good affordable accommodation in the town, so this would help.
Bunkhouse and community space – convert the main “retail” area of the bank that opens off the square into a bunkhouse for visitors with an internet hub. Similar to the bunkhouse idea at the Barholm Arms in Creetown, affordable holiday accommodation for pilgrimage, walkers, cyclists and so on is lacking in Wigtown. And at busy times, there is just not enough holiday accommodation in the area. Offering eight bunkhouse beds would mean that more people can stay in the town, and they’d shop and eat and drink at local businesses as they appreciate our wonderful town and the surrounding Machars countryside.
These ideas come from the local community. The bunkhouse idea is different from what other businesses and organisations do in Wigtown and Bladnoch. There would need to be work done on the building whatever is decided, but for these proposals it looks like there could be several sources of funding to get the work done. And once it’s up and running, there will be some income which means we should be able to create some employment such as helping to manage and clean the bunkhouse.
Donors will be invited to the official opening. Larger donors (over about £200) may have their names listed on a Benefactors' Roll in the Bunkhouse Hub.
Please help us Let Wigtown Flourish. Can Wigtown bank on your support?
To sign up as a member or associate member, or to receive our newsletter, please visit our website www.wigtownandbladnoch.co.uk
The Initiative has a registered Community interest in 21 North Main Street, Wigtown – the former Bank of Scotland building, and the Scottish Government has approved our purchase under Community Right to Buy legislation.
We are waiting to hear from the Scottish Land Fund about our stage 2 application for funding to buy the bank building. We are fairly confident this will be approved, and if so, 95% of the purchase costs would be awarded. We hoped that the Bank of Scotland might assist the community purchase by agreeing a discount on the purchase price but they have declined. The Initiative therefore needs to raise about £8000 to complete the purchase. The GoFundMe appeal is to raise that final 5%.
Once purchased, what is proposed for the building?
Affordable flats – convert upstairs into a family size affordable flat; and convert the back part of the ground floor into a fully accessible one bedroom affordable pensioner flat. These tenancies would be for people with local connection; our research has shown that there are lots of people struggling to find good affordable accommodation in the town, so this would help.
Bunkhouse and community space – convert the main “retail” area of the bank that opens off the square into a bunkhouse for visitors with an internet hub. Similar to the bunkhouse idea at the Barholm Arms in Creetown, affordable holiday accommodation for pilgrimage, walkers, cyclists and so on is lacking in Wigtown. And at busy times, there is just not enough holiday accommodation in the area. Offering eight bunkhouse beds would mean that more people can stay in the town, and they’d shop and eat and drink at local businesses as they appreciate our wonderful town and the surrounding Machars countryside.
These ideas come from the local community. The bunkhouse idea is different from what other businesses and organisations do in Wigtown and Bladnoch. There would need to be work done on the building whatever is decided, but for these proposals it looks like there could be several sources of funding to get the work done. And once it’s up and running, there will be some income which means we should be able to create some employment such as helping to manage and clean the bunkhouse.
Donors will be invited to the official opening. Larger donors (over about £200) may have their names listed on a Benefactors' Roll in the Bunkhouse Hub.
Please help us Let Wigtown Flourish. Can Wigtown bank on your support?
To sign up as a member or associate member, or to receive our newsletter, please visit our website www.wigtownandbladnoch.co.uk
Organizer and beneficiary
Nicholas Walker
Organizer
Jak Kane
Beneficiary
