Crafters' final plea for help to find new home as Elgin Community Centre closure looms
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Craft group members are making a final plea for help to find a suitable home before they face folding for good.
Sewers and knitters have been searching for new accommodation since Elgin Community Centre was threatened with closure.
But they have not found anywhere suitable. The main problem is storage space required for their materials and machines.
And time is running out as the community centre will shut at the end of March, before eventually being put up for sale.
Maureen Whyte, chairperson of the machine knitters group, said: "We know the community centre’s had it.
"The thing is there’s nowhere suitable for us to go and the council is throwing us out.
"We’re running out of options.
"If there’s anybody out there who can help us, please let us know.
"This is our last chance to find somewhere or we’re going to have to fold."
The groups have been running for 30 years with members travelling from across Moray and as far as Nairn to attend the twice-weekly sessions.
Councillors took the final decision to close the community centre at a confidential meeting in June last year.
However VIP Childcare, which operates from the building, has a lease that runs until summer 2026.
In addition, the community centre will be used to temporarily host some other groups which currently use Elgin Town Hall.
These will relocate to the community centre during the town hall’s redevelopment as part of the £100 million Moray Growth Deal.
Edith Weatherhead, who's a sewer, said: "It’s so much more than knitting and sewing.
"Lots of people come along and it just makes their week.
Various venues have been proposed, including community halls, Elgin Town Hall and the town’s two secondary schools.
But none have storage suitable for the groups. In addition, there were issues with lighting.
A council spokesperson stated that the contact details of officers able to assist with finding alternative accommodation were given to all the community centre groups.
The spokesperson said: “To date, a number of groups have taken up that opportunity.
"The council has assisted with providing lists of potential venues and contact details, equipment logistics and electrical support for equipment movement.
"We’re aware that the knitting and sewing groups were offered use of a facility that has recently fallen through.
"And we encourage them to contact the appropriate officers if they require further support."
Elgin Community Centre’s future has been at risk for some time.
It was threatened with closure about six years ago.
However the council decided to keep it open with the aim of helping clubs find other accommodation.
The council says the centre is not a viable building.
It has annual running costs of around £14,000 a year, while estimated repair work needed over the next five years would total £600,000.
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