Scaffolding shrouding one of the oldest buildings in the heart of Inverness could be taken down within weeks.
Bosses managing the restoration of the M&Co building say that scaffolding on Academy Street is due to be down by the end of July.
The historic building was seriously damaged in a major blaze in April last year and has been encased in structural supports ever since.
Project manager Kenneth Veitch, of construction consultants CRGP, said progress had been “very good” since work began to restore the shop in February this year.
He said the long-awaited removal of scaffolding on Academy Street should be completed by late July, with Strothers Lane expected to fully reopen a few weeks later in mid-August.
Mr Veitch said: “Hopefully by then the area around the building will be fully cleared and returned to public use.
“We’ll then hand the building back to M&Co for their final fit-out works which should hopefully just be displays and so on.”
He said the roof of the building, which collapsed under the fierce heat of the fire, has now been fully restored and stress tested.
The roof has been finished with recovered Ballachulish slate, with the slater having done a “lovely job” according to Mr Veitch.
Work is currently focused on applying roughcast to the rear of the building, while stonemasons work to finish the Academy Street frontage before the scaffolding is peeled back.
Mr Veitch added: “That’s what stopping the scaffolding from being removed at the moment but we should be able to have it reduced to reveal quite a smart look.
“Internally the building is still pretty much a building site but we’re getting there.”
M&Co has yet to reveal a date for the reopening of the shop but it is expected to be before the end of the year.
The listed building dates back to 1792 and is the original Inverness Royal Academy.
Dozens of firefighters tackled the blaze when it broke out on the evening of April 15, 2015.
Crews from across the Highlands remained stationed at the site for days afterwards trying to control the blaze.
The aftermath caused significant disruption in the city centre with Academy Street closed to two-way traffic for six months following the fire.
