The Avonbridge Welfare Hall was opened on 26 August 1926 by James Barbour, miners’ agent. It was built on the Muiravonside part of Avonbridge with the south gable and entrance onto Blackston Road. The centrally heated hall was built of brick with an asbestos roof and seated over 200 persons. The District Welfare Committee granted a sum of £1,000. John Scotland & Son of Airdrie were the architects. The other contractors were: measurers – John H Allan & Sons, Glasgow; builders – James Fleming & Son, Bathgate; joiner – Wm C Forsyth & Son, Armadale; slater – Robert Fraser, Polmont; plumbers – Shaw & Gibson, Bothwell; plasterer – Wm B McNair, Armadale; painter – James Beck, Airdrie; railings – A & J Main & Co Ltd, Glasgow; heating – G N Haden & Son Ltd, Glasgow.
In August 1930 the Avonbridge Miners’ Welfare Society heard that the Central Welfare Committee had awarded them another grant to extend the building, though some local fundraising was necessary. The extension was to house two billiard tables. At the same time the conveniences were to be altered. It was formally opened on 12 December that year. Extensive renovations in 1937 included repainting the concert hall, stage, and billiard room. The upper walls were painted in the brighter colours then coming into fashion – sunshine yellow, bordered with orange chrome – by Morrison & Son, Polmont. A false proscenium was introduced for stage effects. The woodwork was finished in light oak and varnished. The concert hall was also re-seated with tip-up seats, and a new system of lighting.
During the Second World War the hall was well used and a large number of fundraising events were held there. As a consequence the Avonbridge Society came out of the war with a good bank account. Hall lets accounted for a large part of the additional income and so in September 1945 it was proposed that the Welfare Hall should be used as a Miners’ Welfare and a Community Centre, with a Board of Management elected by the community.
In September 1951 there was talk of closing the Hall, but it received a new lease of life. Throughout 1954 to 1957 there was extensive correspondence between the Coal Industry Social Welfare Organisation and the Eastern No. 3 District Council (Falkirk Archives a1044.2. The Council purchased the building and a meeting of all interested parties was held to set up a Community Association to run it. The hall was renovated and is now run as a Community Centre on behalf of Falkirk Council and is available for rent with a main hall with stage, a smaller hall, a bar room, and a kitchen suitable for caterers.
Falkirk Local History Society 