One of the oldest buildings in the heart of Inverness is rising once again like a phoenix from the ashes.
A new roof has been erected as work to breathe new life into M&Co’s store on Academy Street begins to gather pace.
The listed building dates back to 1792 when it was constructed as the original Inverness Royal Academy, giving Academy Street its name.
It was gutted in a dramatic blaze in April last year, with the roof and first floor collapsing in the inferno, as well as the internal steel work.
The blaze brought widespread disruption to the city, with Academy Street only reopening to two-way traffic six months later.
Plans to restore the building to its former glory were approved by local authority officials last month, and the new structure is already beginning to take shape.
Bryan McFadzean, a director of construction consultants CRGP, said: “We’re making good progress. The main steel structure is fully erected and we’re putting the roof on.
“It’s all on programme. It’s been an excellent effort from Compass Construction.
“We’re targeting the autumn for completion. We’re just working our way through it.”
M&Co, which owns the building, say the work to restore the building would involve its “full reinstatement”, with a new “conservation-style shopfront” and roof finished with second-hand Ballachulish slate.
The clothes store will move back into the retail space on the ground floor, and the plans will also include three office units on the first floor, and a new entrance on Strothers Lane.
The construction team hope to be able to hand the watertight building over to M&Co by July or August for its own shop-fitting team to take over.
The shop has been temporarily based at a unit in the Eastgate Shopping Centre since October.
The retail firm were hit with a dangerous building notice by Highland Council because of the condition of the Academy Street site after the fire.
A total of 46 firefighters from throughout the Highlands were called in to help tackle the blaze, with crews remaining at the site for several days.
