Nairn residents and visitors will next Sunday be treated to the unusual sight of the town’s courthouse steeple being lifted off and placed in the rear car park.
The top part of the steeple, weighing six tonnes, from the level above the clock windows, will be lifted off by a crane to enable renovations to the structure, all part of an £800,000 revamp of the Nairn Courthouse.
Once it is in the car park, repairs will be made to the wooden and lead structure.
To allow crane access and carry out the lift, the full rear car park will be closed overnight at both entrances from the A96 from 10pm on Saturday until 10am on Sunday.
Crane set-up will take approximately an hour and a half from 7am on Sunday with the actual lift likely to take half an hour from 8.30am.
For public safety, the High Street will be closed off in the immediate vicinity of the Courthouse for the duration of the lift.
Areas adjacent to the Courthouse will also be cordoned off for safety reasons.
Once the steeple has been removed, it will be lowered into a secure compound in the rear car park for works to take place.
Replacement of the refurbished steeple is programmed for the end of July 2019.
The works are being carried out by Laing Traditional Masonry, and project managed by Highland Council.
