ISLAY, PORT ELLEN RAMSAY HALL
Aug 2009 Mick Andrew
General Information
Address: Ramsay Hall, North Bay, Port Ellen, Isle of Islay, Argyll, PA42 7BY
- Venue is on RHS of main A847 road, heading out of Port Ellen village towards Bowmore. Small car park.
- Built 1902, resembles a church with tower from outside.
- Capacity 180 if stage used, approx 120 if performing on floor. Non-interlocking stacking chairs.
- Mobile reception reasonable. Payphone at back of hall 01496 302357.
- Bank, hotels, Co-op, hardware shop, general store and petrol all in Port Ellen. Other services at Bowmore (10 miles).
Hall Details
- Hall Dimensions: 16.46M (54’) long x 9.42M (30’11”) wide. Height at side walls 3.66M (12’) rising to approx 6.1M (20’) over centre (arch style ceiling). 4 roof beams.
- Stage: Pros opening 5.26M (17’3”) wide x 4.07M (13’4”) deep. Pros height 3.33M (10’11”). Height of stage 1.09M (3’7”). Wings SR 1.02M (3’4”), SL 0.92M (3’) upstage – catwalk ladder & equipment cut wing space DSL. Access treads either side of wings. Crossover behind back wall. 2 sets brown legs & borders and back brown drape.
- Décor: dark polished wood floor with Badminton Court markings; walls dark wood panelling lower, white upper; ceiling, back wall & pros arch saltire blue, roof beams dark wood. Curtains light orange/brown.
- Get-in: long, through FOH tower, 2 sets double doors + right angle turn, 1 step and ramp outside. Approx 25M van loading to stage. 1.12M (3’8”) wide x 2.21M (7’3”) high.
- Acoustics slightly reverberant.
- Blackout is partial, some window curtains missing and end wall has 2 uncovered circular windows.
- Heating by wall mounted electric bar heaters (not all work).
- Upright Piano available. Smoke Detector on stage.
- No access equipment seen.
Technical
- Power: 200amp 3-phase incomer with 63amp single-phase socket, supplying stage dimmers on gantry in SL wing.
- Small stage lighting rig – Strand 12 channel Mini 2 desk, 2 Strand Mini 2 patchable dimmer packs, 4 x 500w profile spots on FOH perches, 4 x 650w fresnels on LX 1 bar, 8 x 150w floods on LX2. All older Strand equipment.
- Small disco rig with amplifier and speakers.
- Houselights are switched roof pendants, switched from SL balcony (bank of 3 switches).
Backstage
- 1 long backstage room with divider serves as dressing room.
- Kitchen available. Bar area off hall left FOH.
- Separate backstage toilet. Note FOH toilets close to stage so need to maintain access to these if performing on floor.
