Historic Inverness city centre mosaics almost completed
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FINAL measurements have been taken for the re-installation of a well-known Inverness mosaic.
Restoration work to breathe life into the historic mosaics in Inverness’s Academy Street started in July last year.
It came after Cairngorm Taverns secured an Inver-ness Townscape Heritage grant to fully restore the former AI Welders building, which is set to have a street-level bar and first-floor restaurant.
It appointed conservation specialist Laing Traditional Masonry (LTM) as its main contractor although the first phase of work has been handled by sub-contractor the Mosaic Restoration Company (MRC).
The mosaic of welders and foundry men at work was partially taken down last year by Northamptonshire-based MRC. Mosaics have been taken to MRC’s factory for restoration – and as one of the four original mosaics was missing, the firm has used a photograph from the 1920s to recreate the original design.
MRC’s Gary Bricknell described it as a fascinating project for the family-run firm and he looks forward to putting the work back in place next month.
“It’s been an really interesting job,” he said. “Every one of the tiles is hand-cut for these arches which are about four or five square metres. We’ve used tens of thousands of tiles and we’ve been working on it for over six months now.”
Inverness Townscape Heritage Project provided a £960,000 grant towards the restoration of the B-listed building which is set to open in September as a showcase for Cairngorm and Loch Ness breweries.
Sam Faircliff, managing director at Cairngorm Brewery which is involved with Cairngorm Taverns, said: “We are looking to showcase as much Highland produce as possible”.
The building was originally the head office of the Rose Street Foundry and Engineering Company and changed to AI Welders in the 1960s.
This project is the first major investment by the Inverness Townscape Heritage Project, which is a partnership regeneration project focusing on Academy Street.
The refurbishment is a collaboration of funding partners including Inverness City Heritage Trust (ICHT), Historic Environment Scotland and the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Alison Tanner of ICHT said: “This is not just an interesting project, it is specialist restoration, repair and reinstatement work and needs to be rejoiced.
“It has been years in the planning, the local public are passionate about the mosaics and the building as a whole and this work will save them for future generations.”
