Work is underway to redevelop the exterior of the former Tolbooth Hotel in Banff, Aberdeenshire.

The scheme, which is part of efforts to regenerate the town and its Conservation Area, is being grant funded by Historic Environment Scotland (HES) and Aberdeenshire Council through the Banff Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme (CARS).

Over the next few months, traditional materials and working methods will be used to repair timber windows and doors, the roof, install new cast iron rainwater goods and reharl external walls with lime.

The Category-B listed Tolbooth is one of the five buildings identified as priority projects under CARS. In recent times, the upper floors have fallen out of use, whilst the ground floor retail premises continue as a takeaway, where improvement works were carried out through a former Townscape Heritage Initiative scheme in 2009.

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Cllr Glen Reynolds said: "This is great news for the centre of Banff and will transform an iconic landmark in the town.

"It is a reassurance to the public that much work is taking place by Council Officers who operate behind the scenes until the fruit of their work is seen in projects such as this.

"This is part of the ongoing regeneration work which will transform the area and will demonstrate that Banff is open for business and open to projects small and large, which will play a part in maintaining and transforming the beauty of our town that is Banff."

Chair of Aberdeenshire Council’s Infrastructure Services Committee, Peter Argyle, said: "The council has been focusing regeneration resources on Banff, along with Macduff, Fraserburgh and Peterhead for some time now, with a lot of work taking place to bring forward projects such as this.

"The delivery of this project, and others taking place in the four towns, is a visible sign of progress and return on our investment, and makes a real difference not only to the local built environment, but to the way locals and visitors feel about the town.

"Regeneration encompasses a whole range of work for the council, and the delivery of physical projects is only part of that, but it is a significant part which can really add to the sense of progress and I look forward to seeing the effect the work on the hotel has."

Image: © Historic Scotland.

(LM/MH)