Enthusiasm for Saving Coupar Angus Town Hall

Last Thursday (4th Sept 2025), around 45 people turned up at the Red House Hotel for a public meeting to discuss saving Coupar Angus Town Hall. 

Clive Luhrs introduced the small group who have been in talks with Perth and Kinross Council about the building. Other members include John Middleton, Mike Spence, Michael Gallagher, Lynda McGregor and Bob Talbot.  

There was unanimous support for saving the building for the community to use, although some people were wary of the maintenance costs. The group agreed to revisit the idea of leasing rather than outright ownership, although Perth and Kinross Council is hoping that a community group will take ownership via a Community Asset Transfer, under Section 5 of the Community Empowerment Act.   

Community consultation

At the end of the meeting, brief questionnaires were distributed, which were completed by 13 people. These provided an excellent insight into what people think of the building, and how it might be used. Over the coming weeks we will make further efforts to find out your views, so watch this space!

Questionnaire:

1. What activities would you like to see at the Town Hall?
Here are some examples of things it was used for: New Age Kurling, Zumba, Thursday friends, karate, juniors football training, coffee mornings, Burns suppers, ceilidhs, Scottish country dances, Wee springers, exercise classes, birthday parties, silver wedding parties, elections, concerts, plant sales, meetings of the Community Council, indoor markets (occasionally), public consultations, town meetings, amateur dramatics.
​2. Do you support bringing the Town Hall into community ownership? Yes/No
All 13 of the people who completed the questionnaire said ‘Yes’.
3. How can we keep you informed?
If you are interested in this project and would like to get more involved, please provide your contact details here.
The following written comments and suggestions were made. 

Written comments 

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​Blairgowrie Hall has a thriving entertainment calendar. Efforts should be made to make and use to advantage this marvellous facility in this manner – drama, concerts, shows etc.

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​I wonder if time and energy is also required to encourage working adults and young people to be involved. Explore their knowledge and skills to take this forward.
 
Attention also to settled migrants, those where English is not their first language.
 
Perhaps a need to confirm the legal position, although the Community Empowerment Act encourages assets to be moved community ownership. Does this mean that it is the only option?
 
Perhaps clarifying if the deadline is fixed, may give us more time.
 
Good luck!

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​Ceilidhs, birthday parties, silver wedding parties, plant sales
Return the regalia of the provost and have on display in the Town Hall.

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​Café, markets, fitness/wellbeing, classes/events, yoga, dance, concerts, plays, coffee mornings, repair shop, educative classes, languages, computers, craft, mending
 
Small shop units = hiring diy equipment

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• EFT Practitioner helping other people to relax.
• I am happy to do as sort of donation to community.
• I am also cleaner and help to maintain the place.
• Community repair shop
• Retro computers/arcade
• I run local allotment Isla Gardeners on the end of Caddam Road and I have interest of herbs to be used in coffee shop like mint/verbena and will help with maintaining the garden outside.

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Approach other community groups to ask how they have achieved to take over and buy their halls.
Possibly ask Council to rent for a period of time with an option to buy once up and running.

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I’m Coupar Angus born and bred. The Town Hall has played a big part in my life over the years.

• The Hall in Trades Lane is good but we need space for large events. As part of Pride of Place we held our annual plant sale and coffee morning which was always well attended.
• It would be a good idea to promote the Hall for all the above events, including the Blood Donation Service which no longer comes to Coupar Angus. 

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1. Badminton
2. Soft play – permanent, private enterprise with café
3. Pickleball
4. Amateur dramatics

• Involving 2 Sisters / EoS Farmers
• Looking at similar spaces, esp. in P&K

 

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• End of month markets
• Happy to support with maintenance work and I am also head of the Christmas lights committee

 

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• School community café
• Burns Supper event
• Special events linked to different cultures
• Christmas, Halloween etc events/parties
• Guides/Scouts
• Community Nativity/panto

 

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Probably all of the above!
More community groups in general, especially now there are no BBs, Guides etc.
Committee must be made known, Coupar Angus has a bad tendency to have people on committees and nobody knows who are on them!
Not sure about how much I can be involved, but am very interested in going forward and knowing how things are progressing.
 

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​The Town Hall (main hall) would lend itself to badminton. It being a sprung floor, the National Badminton Association, specifically used the now defunct Bell’s Sports Centre for all its competitions, simply because it was the only sports hall with a sprung floor.
Surely approaching the National Badminton Board would tell you if they were interested or not.

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1. Ask Council to delay sale while creating plan
2. Ask Council for historic costs & income
3. Check options – lease?
4. What groups are interested in use? What income?
5. What would generate regular income? Or encourage people to travel?

• Farmers’ Market, local produce, craft
• Cinema nights
• Community kitchen, kitchen & café for daily hire by pop-ups

1. Discuss options with those that have done it, e.g. Blairgowrie, Alyth, Pitlochry