Snag List TBC
The annual repair weekend takes place in the middle of August this year.
This is an opportunity to give something to the building through care, repair and restoration, as well as taking moments to replenish ourselves.
Some context from the building below:
Throughout the summer of 2022, there was scaffolding on the roof as a new liquid roof coating was installed to prevent leaking - though our archives show that people have been complaining about the leaks on Bidston Hill for over 100 years! The current iteration of this leak had affected numerous rooms across the first floor, including the library, the roof stairwell, and the three-bed dormitory (1.07). It appears to have worked so far...
Following this, Bidston Observatory was very grateful to a group of stayers who joined for our first Overalls Repair Weekend which took place at the end of September. This was an opportunity to help out with odd jobs and maintenance around the building in return for shared meals and free stays. We were able to repair, plaster and repaint the three-bed dormitory; sand and varnish the dining room tables; and begin work on a media screening room in the main basement, along with a number of smaller jobs that all to often get left behind, such as deep-cleaning the oven and the radiators!
The rest of the affected rooms will be damp-proofed and repainted at the next Overalls Repair Weekend, which is set to take place in the middle of August 2023! This is the only real opportunity to stay at BOARC for a non-monetary contribution, and can be a compassionate moment to give back to the old building, ensuring future use for other stayers. It's also a moment to replenish ourselves with somatic and bodywork practices.
Please email us if you are interested in staying. There is a two-night minimum for stays.
enquiries@bidstonobservatory.org