Fochabers Public Institute | Touring Venue

FOCHABERS PUBLIC INSTITUTE

June 2015 Mick Andrew

General Information

Address: 15 High St, Fochabers, Morayshire IV36 7EP. Tel: 01343 821325.

Venue is at East end of High St on South side of road. Car Park at venue.
Built 1905. Pending substantial upgrade and alteration.
Capacity up to 200 if stage used, up to 150 if performing on floor. Stacking padded non-interlocking chairs.
Mobile reception good.
Fochabers has general store, bank & cashpoint, hotels and cafes. Petrol at Mosstodloch (2 miles). All other services in Elgin (9 miles).

Hall Details

Hall Dimensions: 8.8M (28’10”) wide x 20.85M (68’5”) long with balcony overhang over last 4.8M (15’9”). Height at side walls 4.92M (16’2”) rising to approx 6M (19’8”) over centre.
Stage: 6.4M (21’) wide x 5.75M (18’10”) deep to back tabs, 7.15M (23’6”) to back wall. Wings 1.3M (4’3”) both sides. Height to grid 3.8M (12’6”); height of stage 1.3M (4’3”). Crossover behind back drapes. Access treads off both sides of front of stage (8 steps), no rake.
Décor: floor polished dark wood with Badminton Court markings; walls white; roof beige. Windows have red curtains; stage has beige/grey tabs & borders and dark blue FOH tabs.
Get-in: good – through side fire exit, flat, straight through single door into hall. For stage up 2 steps, through double door straight onto stage. Approx 10M from van loading area to stage. Hall access 0.83M (2’9”) wide x 2.35M (7’8”) high; Backstage access doors 1.15M (3’9”) wide x 2M (6’6”) high.
Acoustics slightly reverberant.
Blackout reasonable – all windows have lined curtains.
Heating by radiators.
Upright piano in FOH room. Smoke Detectors in hall and above stage – possible to disable these.
Large 12-step A-frame ladder & 7-step stepladder available.

Technical

Power: 60amp 3-phase incomer in switch room FOH. Only 2 13amp sockets in hall and 3 on stage.
Small stage lighting rig – 4 Patt23 spots on 2 FOH perches (non-dim) switched from SL wing. Old Junior 8 dimmers condemned.
No sound equipment.
Houselights are switched fluorescents, switched at back of hall.

Backstage

Fochabers Future Plan