Work on the £700,000 refurbishment of the historic Hew Scott Hall in Anstruther is set to start next month.
The extensive project is being funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, Historic Scotland and Fife Environment Trust, and like the neighbouring Murray Library restoration and conversion scheme, is a key project in the Anstruther townscape heritage initiative and conservation area regeneration scheme.
Work is ongoing at the Murray Library building, which lies in the heart of Anstruther’s conservation area at Shore Street. The former library and snooker hall will be converted into a tourist hostel and seven units for creative industries.
The St Nicholas Tower and Hew Scott Hall buildings will be transferred from the Church of Scotland to Fife Historic Buildings Trust on February 28, and the church is also contributing £10,000 to the project.
The Wester Anstruther Town Hall is a common good property and the trust is purchasing it from Fife Council at market value.
On completion of the project, which is being managed by Fife Historic Buildings Trust with support from Fife Council, the whole complex of buildings will be transferred to the Anstruther Improvement Association and renamed the Dreel Halls.
Councillor Kay Carrington, Fife’s executive member for business, enterprise, economy and planning, welcomed the initiative.
She said: “This exciting project is the result of much hard work from all the partners involved and will be an asset to Anstruther.
“It will return a key historic building back into community use and will enhance the fabric of the town.”
An information day will be held between 10am and noon and from 4-7pm today in the Wester Anstruther Town Hall where council officers, representatives from Fife Historic Buildings Trust and Anstruther Improvements Association will be on hand to discuss the project.
Nearer the start of work on the project, neighbours will be given more specific information, when the contractor will have been appointed and a detailed programme prepared.
Councillor Carrington added: “I would urge anyone who is interested in finding out more about the project to come along to the Wester Anstruther Town Hall.”
leclark@thecourier.co.uk