Castle Mills in Fountainbridge, Edinburgh, is to benefit from a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).

The building is the former headquarters of the North British Rubber Company, where a number of products used to be produced, including the modern motor car tyre and the first traffic cone. The HQ is also the birthplace of the Wellington boot; the rubber mill pioneered the use of India rubber to make wellington boots, supplying some 1.2 million pairs to soldiers of WW1 to help them deal with the flooded conditions of the trenches.

The investment, understood to be worth almost £5m, will help to save the historic building from demolition and instead transform it into a state-of-the-art visual and creative arts centre. It will be used to reinvigorate the building as a world-leading printmaking facility, a hub for creative enterprise and an arts centre with café, bar and learning spaces.

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An additional grant of £500,000 was also awarded to assist Edinburgh Printmakers in developing the project to the next stage of the application process.

Colin McLean, Head of Heritage Lottery Fund Scotland, said: "Castle Mills was once at the heart of a thriving community but now stands empty and neglected and whilst much-loved, its restoration presents huge financial challenges.

"We are delighted to be able to help unlock its potential so that it can once again be a centre for new ideas and productivity and a catalyst in the regeneration of Fountainbridge."

Edinburgh Printmakers CEO, Sarah Price, added: "With more demand now than ever before for high quality printmaking facilities and training, this investment will secure Edinburgh Printmakers' future at the forefront of printmaking internationally.

"Not only will many hundreds of artists benefit from the new cutting edge facilities but an extended programme of exhibitions, talks, workshops and community-based arts projects will attract thousands of visitors each year.

"The projects' success in attracting investment such as the Heritage Lottery Fund award and a £1.7m grant already secured from Creative Scotland, along with widespread support from community groups, is testament to Castle Mill's incredible industrial heritage and we look forward to it once again playing an important role in the social and economic development of the area."

Castle Mills was built in stages between 1856 and 1897 beside the Union Canal.

(JP/IT)