Fraserburgh has been awarded thousands of pounds in Lottery funding towards restoring its historic town-centre.
Civic leaders will receive £58,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF)’s Townscape Heritage programme.
The scheme is part of a wider bid to regenerate the town. A further £1.8million is now being sought for work on its council chambers and former police station in Broad Street.
Last night, the chairman of Fraserburgh community council, Ronnie McNab, told the Press and Journal he hoped the efforts would turn around the town’s fortunes.
He said: “It’s tremendous news and it will give our town centre a bit of a boost. Hopefully, when it’s done up, it will make Fraserburgh proud again.”
Local councillor Brian Topping said the funding was a vote of confidence in local people and businesses.
“Although over the centuries Fraserburgh’s fortunes have risen and fallen in relation to harbour trade, fishing and military use, this funding is a step towards ensuring the town remains a beacon of historical significance and that its outstanding buildings are protected,” he said.
Fraserburgh councillor Charles Buchan added: “Restoration of the historic centre of Fraserburgh will give a big lift to the town.
“Fraserburgh was the first planned town in Scotland, and its streetscape is something Brochers should be proud of.”
Aberdeenshire Council leader Jim Gifford said he was excited by the support being shown to the regeneration of Fraserburgh.
“If a second-round bid to HLF is successful, we will be able to restore many of the town’s fine examples of nineteenth-century architecture, particularly those in its central public space, Saltoun Square,” he added.
Lottery bosses also announced funding for Paisley and Glasgow’s Govan area.
Colin McLean, head of HLF in Scotland, said: “The regeneration of town centres is an obvious way in which we as an organisation can make an important contribution to improving the economy of an area and the standard of living for the people resident there.
“Investing lottery money to revitalise historic buildings at the heart of a community, not only makes a place more attractive to live, visit and invest in, it also provides jobs and training opportunities for local people.”