Riverside Inverclyde has finished work on a £10 million restoration scheme at Custom House in Greenock.

The completion of the six-year scheme coincided with the 10-year anniversary of the organisation, which is charged with the economic regeneration of Inverclyde.

A ceremony to mark the occasion was held at the restored 200-year old Georgian Custom House on Friday, 03 November. Attendees included Her Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant of Renfrewshire, Mr Guy Clark, Fiona Maguire, Chief Executive of Riverside Inverclyde and project architect, Tom Connelly of Elder & Cannon.

Martin Brennan, Provost of Inverclyde, who formally re-opened the building and unveiled a plaque, said: "The upgrading of this building, ably delivered by the team at Riverside Inverclyde, has helped to preserve this landmark for the current and future generations."

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Riverside Inverclyde has been the main driving force behind Inverclyde's recent renaissance, including the Riverside Business Park, the creation of James Watt Dock Marina and water-and-wind-proofing of the Sugar Warehouse.

In the last 10 years, the organisation has secured more than £73 million of direct investment in the town from a variety of sources. These include modern modern business centres in Gourock (Municipal Buildings), Greenock (Victoria House), and Port Glasgow (Scarlow House).

And as well as developments and restorations, Riverside Inverclyde has setup networks of local construction companies and community hubs, such as the Local Construction Forum, the Regeneration Forums as well as delivery of the Community Benefits Programme, which provides the benchmark to maximise opportunities for local people.

Riverside Inverclyde Chief Executive, Fiona Maguire, said: "It has been a stellar decade of achievements for Riverside Inverclyde, almost too many to list. Being able to cap the 10 years with the completion of this iconic piece of Greenock history is magnificent. We are not resting on our laurels, though; we have a number of projects currently in the pipeline, including Baker Street, a dedicated Food and Drink Incubator Hub in Greenock, and the development of a new spur road into Port Glasgow Town Centre."

Image: (L to R) Inverclyde Provost Martin Brennan, Riverside Inverclyde Chief Executive Fiona Maguire and Her Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant of Renfrewshire, Mr Guy Clark.

(LM/MH)