Lanark Memorial Hall has officially reopened following an extensive refurbishment programme.

The building has been transformed and now boasts modern facilities which are suitable for a wide range of activities and entertainment.

The restoration, upgrade and extension were funded by the council with assistance from the Heritage Lottery Fund and Historic Scotland.

Great care was placed upon the sympathetic restoration and upgrade of the three-storey building to ensure that it remains a popular social and cultural venue for many years to come.

The project was designed and managed by the council, but the overall project also involved South Lanarkshire Leisure & Culture, the Royal Burgh of Lanark Museums Trust and local schools who worked in partnership to develop 'The Story of Lanark' - an electronic kiosk which enables people to research their local heritage. A wall display has also been put together and artefacts can be seen in display cases detailing key historical events which have shaped the history for the Royal Burgh of Lanark, while the names of the Boundary Stones, which mark the boundary of the Royal Burgh of Lanark, also grace the rooms of Lanark Memorial Hall.

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The individual rooms named after the boundary stones are detailed on the wall design in the Hall and, a tapestry which originally hung in the hallway of the Memorial Hall, has been cleaned, conserved and re-mounted in the building.

Councillor Hamish Stewart, Chair of South Lanarkshire Council's Community Services Committee said: "This Grade B listed Hall, which re-opened to the public at the end of June this year, is not only an important landmark for the people of South Lanarkshire, but, it has been the focal point for many years as a meeting place and cultural venue.

"This fantastic refurbished building is a real flagship venue for the people of Lanark and the surrounding rural area of Clydesdale and I am delighted that we have been able to restore it to its former glory and make it the focal point for the community and beyond once more."

(JP/MH)