Abbot House

Operations Manager Louise Hutchison has been involved with Abbot House for last five years.  It is Dunfermline’s oldest surviving house over 500 years old and was already 200 years old at the time of the Battle of Culloden.

Abbot House has been steadfast through war, disease and fire. It is a strong stone built house, a constant that has been used as a doctors surgery, heritage centre.  Now Abbot House SCO aims to enable the house to be enjoyed by the community.

When Abbot House closed in August 2015 it had been emptied of its artefacts. Louise and Lynn Gemmill project managed creation of a sustainable model. 

Pressure was on moving quick but had to fully think through the plans. Grant funding was available for tangible parts but no one will assist in the running of the building. Expensive to keep going. Insurance, gas and electric. Minimise risk, maximise potential. 

Abbot House Trading company maintains the operations activity. 

Aims to break even and maintain the fabric of the building.

Guided by the Patrick Geddes 1904 vision for Dunfermline, Abbot House re-purposing the building was addressed.

Ground floor coffee shop and gift shop. Gift shop 50% sourced from local business. Future development will use the first floor with a Escape Room and contemporary exhibition space. Second floor for education and Third floor creativity with four artisans. Outside there is a workshop and the garden.

Targeted re-opening was March 2020!  Covid delayed Coffee Shop, it was put on hold indefinitely. Gift Shop did opened August 2020. External toilets were refurbished. 

In July 2022 Blend Coffee House opened. Specialising in home baking and service with friendly faces.  Vintage bookshop has been added.

Focus on increasing tenant numbers. Now they need a calendar of events including a vintage fair but with events that involve the younger generation. A Skids Convention is coming this year and on the wish list is a digital insight into how the house has been used.

A vote of thanks was proposed by Robert Kirkwood. He praised the astute approach to regenerating the building.