Almost £2m is to be invested in a number of Scotland's historic landmarks.

The funds are part of Historic Scotland's Building Repair Grants and will see six renovation projects receive a cash injection, Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs has announced.

In Peterhead, the former Caley Fisheries Building will receive a £250,000 grant to convert the derelict B-listed 19th century warehouse into a mix of social housing and commercial use. The Gallery of Modern Art in Glasgow has been awarded £98,672 to support essential masonry maintenance of the gallery's clock tower and work will be carried out ahead of this year's Commonwealth Games.

Elsewhere, £500,000 has been awarded to Inverness's Town House to secure the building's long term future and ensuring it remains a vital community facility. The funding will be used to carry out essential repairs and reinstatement to the historic fabric of the city centre building which will address some of the 20th century alterations to the A-listed building.


The art deco Castlebrae Business Centre in Edinburgh is also to receive £500,000 towards a major refurbishment of the 1930s school building. The work will limit the ongoing decay of the historic exterior fabric, while the building's owners also intend to carry out internal alterations to make the building more suitable for business use and encourage local business start-ups. The internal alternations will also conserve the existing historic interior features.

Major restoration work on the 19th century Tivoli Theatre in Aberdeen will benefit from £47,723 and will help fund conservation and strengthen of many of the internal features including the ornate plasterwork and frescos, as well as a rare wooden fly floor used in theatrical productions. The A-listed theatre will become a multi-use venue on completion of the restoration.

Lastly, the Russell Institute, regarded as one of Paisley's finest buildings, will receive £500,000 to support a repair and redevelopment of the building to make it more suitable as a modern workplace and secure its long term use.

The Institute, which was built in 1925/26, will once again become an integral part of the town centre.

Commenting on the announcement, Fiona Hyslop said: "I am pleased to announce this latest round of funding which will deliver considerable improvements to several of Scotland's important historic buildings.

"I am particularly pleased that this investment will see buildings that currently lie derelict or unused given a now lease of life and play an active role again in the communities in which they are located.

"Scotland's historic environment is so valuable to all parts of the country with its social, cultural and economic benefits impacting on every community. This investment demonstrates our continued commitment to supporting our historic buildings so they can be enjoyed now and in the future."

(JP/IT)