Bandroom Renovation Concert 10/05/2011

A good sized audience of Castletown residents turned up for the band’s concert on Tuesday 10th May at the Civic Centre in Castletown. This was a shortened concert to enable the band to unveil their plans for the renovation of the existing bandroom in Queens Street.

Following a concert which included items such as The Howitzer, Alpine Lullaby and a Tom Jones selection, and a short interval for tea and cakes, Musical Director Rodney Evans and Secretary Simon Court outlined the bands plans for extending the bandroom and renovating the inside.

The band have submitted a planning application for a single storey extension to the side of the bandroom on ground which is currently unused, which will become the main entrance to the bandroom and an area to keep the bands extensive library of music (currently standing at well over 1300 pieces in 5 fullsize filing cabinets!). As well as this, it will also provide space for a new toilet and washroom, and space for uniform and instruments which are currently stored in the existing bandroom. This will free up more floor space, which will make it safe for us to move around. We also hope to create a miniature museum, displaying some of the old photographs and other memorablilia which we may be able to open to the public on occasions.

Currently the building is a single room, the old Temperance Hall, with stone walls, a high ceiling and no central heating. Part of the plans are to redecorate the room, repairing the walls and ensuring they are damp-proof, putting in a false ceiling and a heating system, which apart from making it more comfortable will help keep the damp away. It is evident that there was at one time a building on this land as the outline of the roof can still be seen on the adjacent property.

For those who don’t know, the bandroom is on the coast in Castletown and on a number of evenings throughout the winter the building and windows gets battered by strong onshore winds and waves - a great accompaniment to the music!

 Some of our neighbours took the opportunity to ask Rodney and Simon about the work to understand the impact on them. We’re glad to say that the vast majority are in favour and won’t be objecting to our plans.

Obviously a project like this will require a substantial amount of money and the band have started to think about fund-raising activities to help raise the money needed. More information will be provided about these activities when the planning application process has completed. 

Full planning details

Report by Brian Osborn 28/05/2011