MELNESS COMMUNITY CENTRE
Oct 2000 Mick Andrew
General Information
Address: Melness Village Hall, Cornhill Rd, Skinnet, Talmine by Lairg, Sutherland IV27 4YU
- Venue is approx 3 miles from junction with A838 Durness to Thurso road. Take turning for Melness & Talmine and at Talmine Post Office take right turn into Cornhill Rd and venue is at end of road. Car park at venue.
- Built 1878 as school and converted to hall.
- Capacity approx 100 if stage used, up to 50 if performing on floor. Stacking, non-interlocking chairs.
- Mobile reception limited. Nearest payphone at Talmine Post office (2 mins walk).
- Talmine & Melness have a Hotel, General Store/Post Office. Nearest cashpoint at Durness (27 miles). Limited hours Bank at Tongue (5 miles). Petrol at Bettyhill (17 miles). Banks and other services at Thurso (47 miles).
Hall Details
- Hall Dimensions: 5.51M (18’1”) wide x 13.77M (45’2”) long. Height at side walls 3.61M (11’10”) rising to 4.29M (14’1”) over centre.
- Stage: 3.84M (12’7”) wide x 3.33M (10’11”) deep. Height of proscenium 2.44M (8’), height of stage 0.63M (2’1”). No wings. No crossover. Access treads off up stage right only. Stage is offset to stage left (not centred on hall).
- Décor: floor wood with narrowed Badminton Court markings; walls dark blue lower, white higher; roof white. Back wall of stage is white. Stage FOH tabs maroon.
- Get-in: via hall entrance. Ramp with railing outside, 2 single doors, straight into hall. Max turning circle 2.44M (8’). Approx 20M from van loading area to stage. 0.74M (2’5”) wide x 2.03M (6’8”) high.
- Acoustics good.
- No Blackout – window at end of hall has no covering, and windows on side of hall have no curtains or blinds.
- Heating is by wall-mounted red-glow quartz heaters.
- No piano. No smoke detectors.
- No access equipment.
Technical
- Power: Not seen but assumed to be minimum 60amp single-phase supply.
- No stage lighting.
- No sound equipment.
- Houselights are switched fluorescents – switches at hall entrance.
Backstage
- Off-stage store or children’s play-group/Computer room (enter via hall) can be used as dressing room.
- Kitchen available.
- Separate backstage toilet.
