Access to Wick Assembly Rooms restricted after stonework problem poses ‘serious risk’
Access to the Assembly Rooms in Wick has been restricted after it emerged that leaning stonework posed “a serious risk to the public”.
The problem centres on high-level stonework adjacent to the main entrance of the building in the town’s Sinclair Terrace. After it came to light on Friday, temporary fencing and plastic barriers were put in place to close off access to the main entrance.
Activities that had been booked for the venue were relocated to alternative premises. One of the organisations affected was the Royal Burgh of Wick Community Council, which held its monthly meeting at the East Caithness Community Facility instead on Monday night.
However, High Life Highland said on Tuesday: “Access via an alternative entry/exit has been arranged and approved with Highland Council. This is now in place so the building is available again to use.”
The Assembly Rooms is owned by Highland Council and operated by High Life Highland. It is the largest public performance venue north of Inverness, capable of seating an audience of up to 450 in the main hall.
A Highland Council spokesperson said earlier: “Highland Council building standards have advised High Life Highland that the leaning stonework poses a serious risk to the public. Building standards advised that the route to the building must be closed off to the public.

“Egress for people within the building via the double doors must also be closed off which will render the access route out of bounds until a satisfactory scaffolded crash deck can be erected and further work planned for dismantling the stonework. Once this is in place the access/egress routes could possibly be opened once again.
“For public safety, the council’s property management team instructed contractors to erect temporary Heras fencing panels to close off the access route.”
A spokesperson for High Life Highland said: “We were alerted to a safety concern late on Friday afternoon by Highland Council, regarding stonework at high level adjacent to the main entrance of the Wick Assembly Rooms.
“After liaising directly with the council’s property team, Highland Council confirmed that the facility should be closed temporarily, until safety fencing could be erected to protect the public from the possibility of any falling masonry.
“Alternative access arrangements were also agreed and booked classes were relocated to alternative premises, thereby ensuring service delivery to our customers.”
Provost Jan McEwan, who represents Wick and East Caithness on Highland Council, said: “The issues have been identified and acted on expediently by both High Life Highland and Highland Council and made safe, with safety fencing.
“Hopefully once the scaffolding and crash boards are in place and the brickwork removed this entrance might be able to be reopened.
“The Assembly Rooms is a very popular venue for lots of local groups. I hope these groups will be able to continue to use the building using other access doors.”