Stonehouse folk club is set to relocate its fortnightly music sessions to Stonehouse bowling club on Crow Road for the upcoming autumn and winter programme. The move comes as St Ninian's church, the club's regular venue, undergoes significant electrical work that is expected to keep the building closed until October.
New Venue and Season Opening
The first event at the bowling clubhouse is scheduled for Friday, September 11, starting at 7:30pm for an 8pm start, with entry priced at £7. The opening performance will feature "club favourites" Clova, followed by a series of shows and acoustic sessions throughout the season.
Upcoming acts include Andrew Gordon and Euan Johnson on October 9, John Graham and Jim Jack on November 13, and acoustic sessions on October 23 and November 27. The club will also hold its annual free Leadhills sessions weekend at the Hopetoun Arms hotel on September 18-19.
Club History and Community Support
Founded in 1997 after a live radio broadcast from the Thistle Inn on New Street, the club has hosted twice-monthly sessions for musicians and singers. It has been based at St Ninian's for the past 17 years.
Group member John Young encouraged music fans to support the club at its new venue, saying: "The club has thrived in the village for nearly 30 years and we hope members old and new will continue to support it in our new premises during this period. In the long term the folk club hopes to return to the church, but for now Stonehouse bowling club has kindly agreed to allow us to use their premises for all artists' nights – there's ample car parking at the end of the junction adjoining the bowling club and there will be a bar available."
Church Closure and Services
St Ninian's church on Vicars Street has been closed for the past month due to urgent electrical repairs. The church announced on social media: "Our electrical systems need urgent and significant work and so the church is closed to allow this to happen. We expect the building to be closed until October; we're working hard with our friends in Stonehouse and beyond to make sure we can continue with as many activities as possible."
Rev Stewart Cutler added in a video on the church's Facebook page: "We discovered that our electrical system was not up to standard and that it's going to need quite a lot of work; that means the St Ninian's building is going to be closed until October. We're keen to get the work done to upgrade the church so that when we go back in it's going to be ready to move forward, do lots of new things and be in great shape for the future."
While the church is closed, Sunday morning services are being held at Stonehouse Scout and Guide hall on Lawrie Street, Thursday morning prayer services at the town's Men's Shed, and the weekly coffee morning at the Masonic Hall.
