Doing up the House

The jewel in Kilsyth’s crown has long held a special place in the hearts of the townsfolk, and now they have even more basis for pride in their landmark.

A five-year refurbishment project, undertaken in painstaking detail, at a cost of more than £520,000, has not only made the 18th century building a first-class venue for special events, it has also ensured it will be perfectly preserved for generations to come.

“This is absolutely the best part of the job,” said Lorna Milligan, North Lanarkshire Council’s community facilities manager. “Because the projects have been phased, it has had to come together piece by piece. To now be able to see it all finished, it was worth the wait.”

Work began back in 2006, with areas such as the roof, windows and electrics given a complete overhaul.

Many of the public rooms have been re-decorated, while a diabled toilet and lift have also been built.

A total of £522,180.56 was spent on the project.

“This was one of our priorities,” said Lorna. “Since it’s used for weddings, people have perhaps a higher expectation than they do for our other 91 facilities.

“The architect here has done really well making sure all of the work was in keeping with the house.

“Historic Scotland played a very hands-on role. They inspected every detail, right down to the colour of the brass and gold being used.”

Any bride-to-be considering Colzium as the venue for her wedding will have an easy decision to make after a brief tour.

The downstairs front room of the house has been transformed and is now named the Bride’s Room.

This bright space has a royal feel to it with its deep red carpet and white painted wooden panelling.

Light streams in from huge windows which overlook the meticulously manicured grounds.

It is the ideal spot for any lady to relax on the chaise longue, before or after tying the knot, with the odd photo opportunity thrown in.

Elsewhere, the bar area has been completely re-vamped, as have the toilets and entrance hallway, whilst a new disabled lavatory has been created.

Some minor cosmetic changes have also been made to the main hall, including a lighting upgrade, without compromising the traditional country manor feel of the place.

“There’s rooms both upstairs and downstairs for ceremonies, depending on the size,” Lorna added. “The main hall can hold 100 for a meal as well.

“I think what interests a lot of people about having their wedding here is that we don’t supply catering or staff the bar.

“That makes it a lot more affordable – they can have a lot more control over the costs because they can then choose local businesses.

“The grounds here are fantastic for pictures as well, and of course there’s the walled garden that they can hire for photos.”

Councillor Jean Jones is also delighted with the difference the work has made.

She said: “I welcome the investment in Colzium House, in particular the lift which has been needed for some time, but it has taken this length of time to get a proposition that Historic Scotland agreed with.

“The rest of the work that has been done makes the entrance more welcoming and the Bride’s Room is something special for a special day. Now that a lift has been installed and a disabled toilet upstairs, hopefully it will be used for a lot more events.”

For more information contact the community facilities team on 01236 812722, or e-mail [email protected].

And to request a booking form get in touch with Northline on 01698 403120, or e-mail [email protected].