News / Town hall is upgraded
LERWICK Town Hall has been re-graded to become a Grade A listed building – a move Shetland Islands Council hopes will boost its case for external funding to repair its fabric.
The SIC was unsuccessful in a previous bid to have the building re-graded back in 2014. But a subsequent application to Historic Environment Scotland (HES), which replaced Historic Scotland in October, has now been successful.
It should strengthen the local authority’s case when applying for money to support a £1.7 million project involving the repair of the iconic stained glass windows in the main hall, as well as repairs to the associated stonework and roofing.
Shetland Amenity Trust has been appointed as project manager for the work, while Groves Rains Architects will take on the role of principal designer and lead consultant.
It is hoped that over half of the funding for the repair can be levered in from sources such as the Heritage Lottery Fund.
SIC convener Malcolm Bell said: “I’m extremely pleased to see the new grading for the town hall, which will hopefully help us access external funding to safeguard these beautiful windows for the future.
“We’ve been monitoring their condition for several years now, and the recent spell of bad weather just highlights the very real risk of more, perhaps irreparable, damage occurring.
“It is the council’s responsibility to preserve the town hall for the people of Shetland, and we would be held accountable if we didn’t now move quickly to prevent any more deterioration.
“The work is scheduled to get underway over the next few months, and I’m hopeful that before too long the public will be able to enjoy these windows in their full glory once more.”
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