Hello, Charlotte Flower here,
and I will kick off the Blog
Today, the builders moved
in. This is a milestone that like so
many others over the last few years passes with no great fanfare. For many this is just a statement of
fact. For me though and others involved
in this long campaign – it is momentous.
A day I have often not really allowed myself to imagine.
I missed the Open Doors on
Saturday but was keen to go in and say ‘Goodbye and Good luck’ to the Old
Birks. I have this cinematic image in
my head; closing the door on the old and opening it to the new! Just like that! If only life were that easy!
I am so glad I went
in. The building is empty now; all the
paraphernalia that has drifted in over the years has been removed. Just a quiet echoing expectant space.
With no one else there to
disturb me, I embarked on something that I have tried a few times before to do
– but never really managed. But this
morning it felt very real. As I have
seen the Architects plans so often, I can walk through the empty building and
‘know’ where the walls, doors, reception desk, etc are. So I decided to ‘walk to my seat’;
visualising the experience as I walked across the empty space.
So,
walking from the front door and into the building, I visualised the reception
desk and counter; for a moment I
wondered if I should go left towards where the ATM would be to pick up
prebooked tickets, but then changed my mind and went straight to the
counter. I bought my ticket and then a
cup of coffee; I took this into the café area and sat for a moment, enjoying
the bustle and chatter of the café, looking out onto the Square watching the
world go by. Then, time to take my seat
– I made my way to the auditorium; I climbed the steps to the back and found my
seat. Sitting back, I waited for the
lights to dim, the chatter to still and the show to start.
This time, this whole
imaginary experience felt almost tangible and real. I don’t need to hold my breath and hope. The builders (and I met the lovely Finlay
this morning) are going to transform the building and every time I have a
chance to walk through these doors over the next few months, our dream will be
ever more close.
So, as we move forward, I
hope you might find interest and pleasure in this blog, as we share our journey
with you. And please do join in.
