A major restoration that rescued one of Port Glasgow's oldest buildings and turned it into a busy community facility has been named a finalist in a national competition.

The Inverclyde Council-led upgrade of the Category B-listed King George VI building, now operating as the Port Glasgow Community Hub, is in contention for honours at the 2026 COSLA Excellence Awards. It has been shortlisted in the Building Towards a Just Transition category for its cutting-edge environmental features.

Dating back to the 1700s and second in age only to Newark Castle, the property has been transformed into one of Inverclyde’s most energy-efficient public buildings, achieving a rare A+ energy efficiency rating, which reflects the building's very low modelled energy demand and carbon emissions.

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The hub is among the final three in its category and one of 15 projects across Scotland to make the shortlist from hundreds of entries.

Between reopening in May 2025 and November 2025, the hub recorded 2,606 visits and supported activities delivered by more than 40 different groups.

Programmes have included toddlers’ sessions, arts and crafts, research, English classes for speakers of other languages, wellbeing initiatives, and a wide range of learning, social and support opportunities.

Originally built as a Masonic Hall for Lodge Cumberland Kilwinning No. 217 — and still used by lodge members — the building has previously served as a town hall and a school headmaster’s house before its latest incarnation as a modern community hub.

It has also hosted a range of local organisations, including Port Glasgow West Community Council, the Food Strategy Group, the Resilience Network, the Alliance Board and the Port Glasgow Regeneration Forum.

The restoration was backed by a £1.8m Scottish Government grant, with Inverclyde Council investing £1.4m across the project's phases.