Fully restored and refurbished, Kirkintilloch Town Hall opened once again to the public in October 2017, providing a venue for community groups, functions, events and an Industrial Heritage Discovery Centre at the heart of Kirkintilloch Town Centre. The project was led by East Dunbartonshire Council and East Dunbartonshire Leisure and Culture Trust, with grant funding contributions from Scottish Government, Historic Environment Scotland and Heritage Lottery Fund.
First opened in 1906, Kirkintilloch Town Hall is a fine early example of an ordered architectural style presaging the early days of Art Deco monumentality. Built at a cost of £11,000, the venue was designed by Walker and Ramsay architects, with many local contractors employed during its construction.
The venue was widely used by the community as a theatre, cinema, dance hall, concert hall and for community meetings and events until its closure in 2004. Since its closure, the Town Hall was subject to on-going efforts led by the local community to create a viable operating model and obtain funding for its restoration and refurbishment. In 2012, the Town Hall was identified as a priority project in the Kirkintilloch Town Centre Masterplan.
The Town Hall has been restored over two phases; in 2014, the main roof was completely replaced, leadwork was renewed across the building and a comprehensive programme of rot treatment was completed. The second phase of works began in April 2016 and included the construction of a new extension, external stonework repair, a major restructuring of the first floor balcony area, complete restoration of the main ceiling and a full internal refurbishment.
During the course of the works, particular consideration was given to preserving the integrity of the original structure. An archaeologist was present during the excavations for the new extension due to the Town Hall’s proximity to the line of the Antonine Wall, which is a UNESCO protected world heritage site. Roman artefacts including a piece of ceramic and nail were uncovered during the works.