Ross K
Established Member
Some of you were asking about this... you may have heard of the Woodschool... some may have even heard that it has been subject to some big changes lately.
Based near Jedburgh in the Borders of Scotland, it was set up in 1996 by the late Tim Stead among others, and soon gained a great reputation as a place where local talented designer-makers made use of Scottish timber that would otherwise be sold for firewood and from it produced exciting and distinctive pieces.
It comprised a cooperative of self-employed furniture makers, a shared machine shop, a sawmill/timber operation and a retail gallery, BuyDesign.
In recent times the gallery encountered financial problems and Woodschool’s owner, Borders Forest Trust, was forced to restructure the business to ensure its long term success. In this process, BuyDesign Gallery was closed and three employees were made redundant. For a time it looked like the whole Woodschool business would go into liquidation. Hard times, indeed.
At this point a collective of the existing makers and the sawmill manager made a bid to take over ownership and management of Woodschool, minus the gallery part.
If you click on Woodschool website you will be redirected to a one-page website for “Real Wood Studios”. Real Wood Studios is the name of the new business that is in the process of taking over Woodschool. In many respects it is business as usual since the ethos of Woodschool and a large part of its organisation will remain as before, with a number of independent furniture makers renting studio space, sharing the machine shop facilities and buying their Scottish hardwoods from the in-house sawmill/kiln drying facility.
The reason I know so much about this is that I’m one of the collective that’s taking over. It’s a big challenge but we’re confident that we can make it into a great place once more. An important point to note is that we will be a not-for-profit company, so any surpluses will go into reinvesting in the business and promoting bespoke woodwork in Scotland along with supporting regeneration and management of deciduous forests in Scotland.
One of the first things we’re doing is ensuring that we get back to a full complement of makers, so we currently have studio spaces available for rent. If you or anyone you know may be interested please email the link on the Real Wood Studios website.
Forgive me for using this forum as advertising space but given the non-commercial nature of the organisation I hope it will be taken in the spirit intended.
Based near Jedburgh in the Borders of Scotland, it was set up in 1996 by the late Tim Stead among others, and soon gained a great reputation as a place where local talented designer-makers made use of Scottish timber that would otherwise be sold for firewood and from it produced exciting and distinctive pieces.
It comprised a cooperative of self-employed furniture makers, a shared machine shop, a sawmill/timber operation and a retail gallery, BuyDesign.
In recent times the gallery encountered financial problems and Woodschool’s owner, Borders Forest Trust, was forced to restructure the business to ensure its long term success. In this process, BuyDesign Gallery was closed and three employees were made redundant. For a time it looked like the whole Woodschool business would go into liquidation. Hard times, indeed.
At this point a collective of the existing makers and the sawmill manager made a bid to take over ownership and management of Woodschool, minus the gallery part.
If you click on Woodschool website you will be redirected to a one-page website for “Real Wood Studios”. Real Wood Studios is the name of the new business that is in the process of taking over Woodschool. In many respects it is business as usual since the ethos of Woodschool and a large part of its organisation will remain as before, with a number of independent furniture makers renting studio space, sharing the machine shop facilities and buying their Scottish hardwoods from the in-house sawmill/kiln drying facility.
The reason I know so much about this is that I’m one of the collective that’s taking over. It’s a big challenge but we’re confident that we can make it into a great place once more. An important point to note is that we will be a not-for-profit company, so any surpluses will go into reinvesting in the business and promoting bespoke woodwork in Scotland along with supporting regeneration and management of deciduous forests in Scotland.
One of the first things we’re doing is ensuring that we get back to a full complement of makers, so we currently have studio spaces available for rent. If you or anyone you know may be interested please email the link on the Real Wood Studios website.
Forgive me for using this forum as advertising space but given the non-commercial nature of the organisation I hope it will be taken in the spirit intended.
