Removal of scaffolding from Campbeltown Town Hall

[Kintyre Forum News]

Removal of scaffolding from Campbeltown Town Hall

WORK to remove scaffolding from Campbeltown’s historic town hall started on Monday 28 January, following completion of repairs to the building.

Over the winter period, various works were carried out at the town hall, addressing some high priority building fabric issues and, importantly, stopping any further deterioration in its condition. These included pointing, roof repairs, gutter cleaning, timber repairs and a number of surveys.

The scope of work to the building’s tower was agreed by conservation architects working for South Kintyre Development Trust, along with Argyll and Bute Council’s own conservation officer. Some of this work has been specified to minimise the impact on any future restoration and is not a permanent finish for the town hall. The South Kintyre Development Trust, in partnership with the council, is working on its hopes for funding for restoration of the hall. This will include comprehensive works to the tower, in particular the stonework, and the redecoration of the entire building. The repair work recently completed has been carried out with these future plans in mind.

Once the scaffolding has been dismantled, the adjacent temporary taxi rank will be removed and the permanent taxi bay reinstated.

More information about Campbeltown Town Hall and the proposals for its future can be found at http://www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/campbelto ... /town-hall

[WC1]

So the spire will be left unpainted when the scaffolding comes down? Does that make a lot of sense? Would it not be better to paint it while it's up rather than have to put it up again later?

[EMDEE]

Should this building ever have been painted in the first place? Does natural stone not look better than paint?

[booboos]

Should this building ever have been painted in the first place? Does natural stone not look better than paint?

My son-in-law is the stonemason who did the remedial works as specified by the council. He suggested taking it back to the original stonework and a 500mm square sample has been done on the North East face of the spire. It is a lovely pink sandstone.
The council in conjunction with the party interested in taking over the Town Hall will be making a decision on whether to repaint or return to natural stone.
Obviously my son-in-law is in favour of the latter due to the look of it and also it makes sense for future maintenance costs ie no repainting every few years!

[Mzz pasico]

Should this building ever have been painted in the first place? Does natural stone not look better than paint?

The amount of times I've passed the town hall and asked myself that very same question EMDEE! Surely natural stone is more pleasing to the eye than cream coloured paint which does not stay clean and flakes very quickly? I for one would be over the moon to see the Town Hall restored to it's former appearance of beautiful stonework! What are other posters views?

[WC1]

I've been familiar with the Town Hall for 60+ years and can't remember a time when it was ever unpainted, natural stone. I can see how that would be attractive, though I'd be concerned about the effect on sandstone of exposure to the weather unless some other form of sealing/protection could be applied to it. I also worry about the appearance of the building in the meantime, when it is neither painted nor taken back to fully-restored natural stone. I think it could be something of an eyesore for some time!

[booboos]

I've been familiar with the Town Hall for 60+ years and can't remember a time when it was ever unpainted, natural stone. I can see how that would be attractive, though I'd be concerned about the effect on sandstone of exposure to the weather unless some other form of sealing/protection could be applied to it. I also worry about the appearance of the building in the meantime, when it is neither painted nor taken back to fully-restored natural stone. I think it could be something of an eyesore for some time!

Don't be concerned about the effect on sandstone of exposure to the weather. I've been a stonemason for 25 years and have been in the town full time for 8 of those, and I have to say that it is a phenomenon which seems to be unique to Campbeltown where people think you need to apply some sort of sealant to natural stone. I've worked on projects all over the UK and I can count on one hand the amount of jobs I've been on where people ask this question about sealing the stone. In Campbeltown i get asked it on almost every job!