Or, A Brief History of the Banchory and District Men’s Shed
(in reverse order, updated 25th June 2021)
2021
3rd July – new opening hours.
May – Re-opened after COVID
2020
23rd March – Closure due to COVID-19 Pandemic
7th February – Completion of Phase 2 build !
2019
12th November – Start of Phase 2 build
2nd November – Official Opening Day
last week October – certification processes
9th October – Completion of building work
9th October – Final floor painting
7th October – Final electrical work complete
6th August – Fireproofing of beams executed
31st May – Phase 1 wind and water tight. – Garage Door moved and front doors on
Tuesday, 6th April 2019 – Start of Phase 1 Build
February – Lease with Banchory Legion signed
2018
July – Phase 1 Funding total reached – ready to start building the Workshop area in the Bay 1 Garage. (Once we have a lease etc.) see here
May – 3rd year AGM and change of Board – see here
March – Container planning extension granted (+2 years). This should allow us to continue storing equipment etc and potentially assisting with building material storage until such time as the Premises are converted
February – only one quote received from builders.
January – Planning extension submitted to continue with Shipping Container fo rstorage
2017
December – started on full Funding drive, also invitation to tender to four builders for the workshop area, 3 intended to quote
November – finalised on premises at Banchory Legion. Lease discussions opened.
July – November – Premises options review
June – July – Pre-application discussions with Aberdeenshire Planning Dept on main and possible alternative prospective sites for premises.
April onwards – pursual of favoured short-listed premises. Unforeseen problem. Pursual of next-favoured premises. Another unforeseen problem…. You get the idea
2016
December – Delivered Operations Desk to River Dee Radio
September – Building Warrant approved (Legion)
Aug-Dec – ongoing premises searches and reduction of short lists, negotiations on leases, premises costings.
11th August – Report to monthly meeting on new premises search
9th August – Banchory Men’s Shed website published (but still no Building Warrant…)
23rd May – Building Warrant validated as Received by Aberdeenshire Council Planning Dept
21st April – First Banchory Men’s Shed AGM held at the Banchory Legion Scotland
April – Cleared Mearns Academy of many machines which were kindly donated to the Banchory Men’s Shed
April – Plywood-lining and fitting out of the Container, in situ at the Banchory Legion Scotland
March – Were donated a shipping container to house our booty until such time as we get premises – kind thanks to Bert McIntosh. Painted by the Shedders to meet the planning requirements and shipped to the Legion and installed courtesy of MacIntosh Heavy Haulage
21st February – Men’s Shed table at Banchory Farmers Market
18th Jan – In not much more than a month, planning permission is granted for use of the space beneath the Banchory LegionScotland (in spite of the application being submitted on a Friday 13th…)
2015
23rd December – Tesco bag packing in aid of ABF The Soldiers’ Charity
21st December – Visit to Inverurie and Westhill Men’s Sheds to see how they’ve done it
18th December – Banchory Men’s Shed Facebook page started
Fri 13 November – Planning application submitted to Aberdeenshire Council for the use of the space beneath the Banchory Legion Scotland in Ramsay Road
28th August – Registered as a Scottish Charity
6th May – First meeting, to create the Banchory Men’s Shed constitution
16th April – First meeting at Banchory Legion Scotland to gauge interest in a Men’s Shed for Banchory, co-ordinated by Jason Schroeder, the Aberdeenshire Voluntary Action Men’s Shed Development Officer
Note: Our history summary has moved here.