Phase IV: Utilization
Now that we have finished most of the construction, we have moved into our last phase of using the castle for lots of fun things! Of course, there is always maintenance, as with any building, and especially one that has 500 years in it. Tours started during our construction phase. As part of the FLAG grant we accepted, we needed to operated as a commercial business, plus we always wanted to share it with people. We have been doing Heritage Week and community events since 2017. Now we operate a small cafe in the Coach House where Liz is happily making and serving food and beverage with a bit of history behind it. We never want to be like any other cafe or castle! Gordon is often the tour guide - we offer tours most weekends, or by request for groups. We trade off our activities sto avoid monotony, and we have some lovely volunteers who help with our larger events.
The Coach House and Tower rooms are available to hire for private events, and we are pursuing more film activities. We love to host groups where we can offer a simple tour and lunch, or unique experiences like a Murder Mystery, Cooking Class, Dinner at the Castle, Music Session in Tower or Coach House. The list goes on! Beyond all that, we like using the spaces for our own activities or entertaining friends and family! We've learned that old buildings need to have a purpose and be lived in. Since it is a big place, our combination of living and business keeps us wandering around the spaces regularly. We won't last another 500 years but we sure hope Sigginstown Castle does!
