Six-month Arbroath library flit as part of £300,000 Angus Archives relocation project

Work to bring centuries of Angus records from Restenneth near Forfar to their new home in Arbroath will begin in early 2025.

By Graham Brown

October 30 2024, 6:00am

First World War soldiers at Edzell Muir in a photo held by Angus Archives. Image: Angus Archives

Arbroath library will move temporarily for six months while the £300,000 relocation of Angus Archives is carried out.

On Tuesday, councillors rubber-stamped the scheme which will also see Angus Council’s access services move out of the Hill Terrace building.

Both are to relocate to the town’s Saltire sports centre while the work is ongoing.

The idea of moving the 800-year treasure trove of Angus history emerged earlier this year.

Angus Archives lease coming to an end

Angus Archives is currently based at the Hunter library beside Restenneth Priory, a couple of miles east of Forfar.

But the council’s 20-year lease on the building ends in February.

So plans were formed to redesign the first floor of Arbroath library to accommodate the archive.

It is a goldmine for professional researchers and amateur genealogists digging into their family roots.

The council plans to use the project to also improve library and Access services on the ground floor.

Less than 30 people responded to a public consultation on the scheme.

And opinion was divided over the merits of the plan, with 10 positive comments and 11 giving negative feedback.

Policy and resources committee councillors unanimously gave the scheme the go-ahead.

The planned timetable is:

• Design, procurement and contract award: November to December 2024

• Decant/works period: January to June 2025

• Move archives from Hunter Library to first floor areas in Arbroath Library: January 2025

• New arrangements in place from July 2025

Brechin councillor Chris Beattie said he hoped the move could bring a spin-off for other local libraries.

It came as officials said they would make sure “local items remain in local places”.

Mr Beattie said: “I still feel the removal of local material from our local libraries doesn’t really serve our communities very well.

“It reduces footfall and puts our small libraries at risk.”

He added: “This is a really good opportunity to move some of the items from the collection back out into our local libraries, and also new material.”