Argyll and Bute Council have been updated on a £2.7 million project to regenerate Rothesay's historic buildings and assist the growth of the local economy.

The Rothesay Townscape Heritage programme is funded by National Heritage Lottery Fund (NHLF), Historic Environment Scotland (HES), Argyll and Bute Council, Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), LEADER, and through Smarter Choices Smarter Places. Two million pounds from the total fund is being made available to property owners through the offer of grant support.

At a meeting of the Bute and Cowal Area Committee on 1 December, councillors were updated on the progress of the project over the last year including:

• A full scale restoration of the classic shopfront of the Electric Bakery, Montague Street earlier this year. (A second restoration at DC Murray & Co in Argyle Street is currently on site and due for completion shortly).

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• The award of three window repair grants as part of a drive to support property owners who wish to refurbish traditional sash and case windows or replace modern plastic windows with timber

• Refurbishment of a large-scale tenement at 73-77 Victoria Street

• Major restoration and repairs to the roof and ironwork of the category 'A' listed, Isle of Bute Discovery Centre

Alongside the main programme, various training initiatives and events have also been held to celebrate the heritage and culture of Bute including, sessions for school pupils to learn about common building problems and the importance of maintenance, workshops for homeowners on repair and maintenance of timber windows and an audio tour which highlighted the hidden delights of Rothesay.

The lockdown measures introduced by Government as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic led to the construction element of the project being temporarily stalled. However, HES and NLHF have agreed an extension which means the project will now run until 31st March 2023.

Councillor Bobby Good, Chair of the Bute and Cowal Area Committee said: "The Rothesay Townscape Heritage project is an important element in the council's ongoing work to ensure that the town is an attractive place in which to live, work, visit and invest by enhancing and regenerating the area's historic buildings.

"Clearly, the pandemic has had a widespread impact across Scotland and this project will play a critical part in the wider drive to support Bute's economic recovery as we hopefully begin to emerge from this difficult period in the coming year."