A weekly service, where property owners in the Scottish Borders can receive information about traditional building repairs, has commenced in Selkirk.

Beginning tomorrow (15 January), the Selkirk Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme (CARS) will over the drop-in advice service. It will be available in the Cross Keys in Market Place and will provide the local community with information of various issues that can affect older buildings, such as finding common defects, where to find sources of information, and how to carry out the necessary repairs.

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There are also plans for Cross Keys, which is run by the Selkirk Regeneration Company with assistance from Selkirk CARS, to offer the local community a central point for information on the different regeneration initiatives within the town. This includes the Flood Prevention Scheme, pop-up shops and the Selkirk BIDS project.

Colin Gilmour, Selkirk CARS Project Officer, is quoted as saying: "Although Selkirk CARS is focused on the traditional buildings in the town centre, the message is equally relevant to all property owners – regular building maintenance is a critical part of owning a property.

"The old adage of a stitch in time saves nine is spot on when talking about traditional building maintenance. It is vital to ensure that minor problems do not develop into major and expensive repairs and knowing how to look at a building and what you are looking at is a first step to keeping buildings in good order."

The Selkirk CARS drop-in service will be open from 10am until 4pm from this Thursday. The service is free and no appointment is necessary.

(JP/CD)