Young folk taking over hall

The former Sea Cadets hall in Stonehaven will finally get a new lease of life as a youth club – despite fears the building would be too costly for the group to convert.

Kincardine and Mearns Youth Clubs (KMYC) lodged a community asset transfer request to Aberdeenshire Council for the High Street building – meaning it could be taken off the authority’s hands for just £1.

The request has now been granted by the council’s business services committee.

The group planned to lease the site for the next 30 years to provide a base for the Stonehaven Youth Club, but now own the building.

Chairwoman Dawn Black said the proposal would give the group its own space to offer different sessions for various age groups, activities and interests.

The building has been vacant since the cadets moved to their new £625,000 base on Marischal Street.

Stonehaven’s Sea Cadets had called the hall home since 1959 but they decided to move after “outgrowing” the High Street location.

The transfer request recently went before the business services committee, for members to decide the building’s fate.

It had previously received the backing of the Kincardine and Mearns area committee back in December.

The support came despite fears the hall was a “financial liability” and would be too expensive for the group to run.

Area manager Tim Stephen raised worries that the age, state of repair, design and accessibility of the “iconic” building would hamper the youth club’s renovation efforts.

He added: “This is simply a very expensive building to convert.”

But Stonehaven councillor Sarah Dickinson urged the group to back the proposal as she said there was a “demand” for youth services in the town.

She also argued the facility would bring “overwhelming social wellbeing benefits” to young people in Stonehaven and the wider area.

Ms Dickinson explained: “Young people can come together and take ownership of this space and take pride in it.”

Councillor Gwyneth Petrie noted the decision was “difficult” but felt it was needed to provide a service the council currently doesn’t offer.

She said: “What the group wants to take on is substantial but what they provide is invaluable.

“This really is community empowerment – 140 kids coming in to get a service we can’t deliver.”

Following a vote, the asset transfer was granted by a majority of nine to four.

“What this group provide is invaluable... it is a service that we can’t deliver

BASE: Kincardine and Mearns Youth Clubs have a new home.