May 20th, 2024

On a sunny Monday morning in May, I hopped on my bike and cycled to Walker Street in Paisley, feeling a mix of curiosity and excitement. I had arranged to meet Jaye (a pseudonym), an artist who held the keys to a former Baptist Church there. She had kindly invited me to stop by her home for a cup of tea and a chance to explore the abandoned space together. As I arrived, I was immediately struck by the church's imposing structure—it was much larger than I had anticipated. Encircled by a heavy iron fence secured with multiple chains, it stood as a stark reminder of its past importance. Jaye lived right across the street, so I rang her doorbell and waited, my gaze lingering on the church’s façade. She soon welcomed me in, and we made our way upstairs, where she prepared us both a cup of tea. Sitting on her couch, we sipped our drinks and stared out the window at the church. I could sense her excitement as she eagerly awaited my reaction to the building. I was captivated by how intact the church appeared from the outside, and my mind raced with thoughts about the potential of the surrounding area. It amazed me that such a significant building could sit unused. As we talked about her ideas for reusing the space, it became clear that Jaye’s imagination was boundless. We discussed possibilities ranging from a community garden and artist studios to a social hangout with a tool library, and many more—some realistic, others more whimsical. Jaye explained that her passion for the space had convinced the landlord to give her a set of keys to explore and show others around. She admitted that there were times she felt the landlord might be taking advantage of her enthusiasm by having her show the space to potential users or buyers. Still, she saw it as an opportunity to spark a conversation about the creative reuse of the site and find potential collaborators for such a project. As we stepped inside the building, it felt as if time had stood still. Desks were cluttered with papers, coffee mugs sat in open cabinets, picture frames hung on the walls, and a piano was stationed in the hallway. The silence was eerie, and whenever a noise broke it, we exchanged glances, uncertain of its source. When Jaye mentioned that the open door she saw was meant to be closed, there was a rush of nerves.                                    

Yet, the building's potential was undeniable; it had once been a grand venue. The highlight of our tour was when Jaye showed me a wooden board on the wall with the inscription, “Robbie Coltrane was here ‘88.” As an avid Harry Potter fan, this made me very excited. The space truly stirred the imagination, and I could feel the same excitement that I had sensed in Jaye earlier. I found myself thinking, what if we could actually do something with this space? After our tour, we spoke a bit more about the realistic struggles that she was facing in bringing attention to the building. Chatting with other people, she felt they considered her to look at the reuse scenario with rose-coloured glasses. Equally, speaking at community council meetings about the space, she did not feel completely heard. I suggested to Jaye that she conduct a risk assessment to determine if the church should be added to the Buildings at Risk register, which might help attract more attention and support. I also promised to explore ways to incorporate the building into my research, hoping to further raise awareness about its potential. As we hugged and said our goodbyes, we agreed to continue brainstorming ideas. I cycled back home, my mind buzzing with possibilities and a newfound determination to contribute to the conversation about preserving and repurposing this fascinating space.

Through this direct encounter, I was also able to connect with the community's aspirations and concerns regarding these spaces. Jaye's reflections on the church underscored her desire to see it repurposed for creative and community-oriented uses, echoing Cresswell’s (2015) ideas in Place: An Introduction. Cresswell discusses how places carry meanings that are both shared and contested, becoming arenas for negotiation over their future use. In this case, Jaye’s vision for the church reflected a broader community yearning to reclaim decayed spaces for collective benefit, even as systemic challenges and resource constraints posed significant barriers. The approach of traversing through space and experiencing its full state highlights how combining sensory engagement with theoretical frameworks can illuminate the complex interplay between decay, creativity, and regeneration, ultimately contributing to a richer understanding of Paisley's potential futures.