SOUTH Ayrshire Council has agreed to sell a village hall for £1 and give the new owners almost £120,000 to support its plans for a new community hub.

Barr SCIO (Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation) has been working on the development of a hub for several years, but the project has been a bone of contention in the small community of around 260.

The development would include “multi-use, flexible spaces including a café/bar and bistro, a hall and rooms for event hire, a communal seating area, kitchens for food preparation, public toilets, and a multi-use interpretation space”.

South Ayrshire Council’s cabinet were told that a consultation on the £1.2m proposals had received the backing of a considerable majority.

While most of these responses welcomed the ambitions and the move to bring a range of services in a redeveloped hub, there were a number of objections that raised specific concerns around the bid.

These included the use of a large proportion of windfarm money on the £1.2m project, the financial viability of the hub in the future and level of projected income and concerns that the project is out of proportion with the small population.

One of the conditions attached to the asset transfer centres around the existing community shop and café.

Barr SCIO’s business plan suggests that a planned café/bistro – operated by an affiliated trading company – would bring in the majority of the money required to meet hub expenditure.

In the first year the group say there would be an income of £96k – a profit of £72k.

This would rise to an income of £191k in year five. At that point, the SCIO states that it would pay out £105k – more than half its income – to a full-time hub manager and part time catering and maintenance staff.

It would also pay rent to the SCIO, of around £4k by year three.

However, the council has included a condition in the asset transfer that aims to address concerns over competition with the existing café and shop, with the potential view that the discount in the sale of the premises could be considered a ‘subsidy’.

It demands that either the SCIO come to an agreement to share space with the community shop/café or agree a schedule that would only allow it to open when the community venue is shut.

Barr SCIO have indicated that there have been positive discussions with the community shop.

However, it is unclear how this would affect the income for the SCIO, given the trading company would have been receiving the income to support the hub.

One of the other key drivers behind the transfer has been the council’s financial predicament.

The council needs to make up a £29m short fall in 2025/26 and 2026/27. A survey of the hall revealed that it requires almost £250k in repairs.

Rather than keep the centre and face ongoing repair costs, the cabinet agreed to supplement the reduced price for buying the hall with a £118k grant from its Advancing Community Assets Fund.

The CAT proposal included an increase in the usage of the centre by hosting events, activities, and services tailored to the needs of the local population, fostering greater community involvement and helping to combat social isolation in the rural area.

South Ayrshire Council has expressed its support for the transfer, acknowledging that the CAT aligns with its wider strategy of empowering local communities and encouraging them to take ownership of local assets.

While part of the transfer, the war memorial would continue to be maintained by the council.

Councillor Hugh Hunter said: “First of all, this take around amazed that the people above have been so determined over so many years that this is still going on and so incredibly resilient.

“I’m very much in favour of giving them the opportunity. I’m not at all sure of those long term sustainability, or that certainly in the short term with the enthusiastic people that have it the minute.

“I can see it being sustained for a number of years, but as time moves on, people change, and I’m just not persuaded by the long term interest.

“I’m reassured by the information that we’ll be able to buy it back at that point. You know, whether we want it, that is another matter, but I’m all in favour of giving them the opportunity to go on with it and make it a success.”