We set ourselves a target of having 300 conversations to be sure we have heard from as wide a group as possible.
We are almost there – the material you have given us has been great, we think we have a real handle of what you would like.
As of today we are 53 short so please roll over to our 300 Conversations page and spend 5 minutes airing your thoughts.
So sorry I didnt make the zoom conversations or the survey- I love the town hall and have been part of many events there. Highest in my memory are the 2 election hustings which I chaired- they both felt like such an important community event where we were really able to have a conversation about what was needed in portobello. The the meeting about what should happen to the pitz. I have been to many wonderful social events- ceilidhs, parties, weddings. Somehow I think the atmosphere is always better there than any space in Portobello, it has the space required for a large group, especially for dancing. But retains an intimacy. It feels so symbolic for the identity of Porty. I have heard people say that we cannot keep adding to community run venues in Portobello, but I have two responses to that, one is as Justin Kenrick has said, the more community spaces you have, the more community you have. The second reply is that when we came to live in Portobello in 2001 (I was brought up in Midlothian) there was a town hall, 3 church of Scotland church halls (1 closed now) as well as other church halls, the wash house, a number of pubs with rooms that could be rented (mostly gone), school halls that were available free (Holyrood now require payment- not sure about the others), a creche at the leisure centre now closed, so actually what we are doing is only trying to maintain what we had, not add to it. Many public spaces are now unavailable or too expensive for many activities, and those that are available do not allow music or partying.
Sorry I missed the deadline, however I’m only a day late!
I think trying to keep it going is wonderful, but it will be hard work.
As a child we came to the town hall for regular jumble sales. When we moved here with our baby thirty years ago there were loads of great craft sales.
However organising my husbands 50 th, birthday party there 15 years ago was tortuous and expensive. But it was a great night and we’ll worth it.
So I hope you can keep it going.
But you will need to sort the kitchens.
Good luck
Ursula
I fully support all efforts to bring this space back to life. Good luck