Inverness shop's new paint pleases planners who were not tickled by pink

AN INVERNESS store has been given a smart new colour scheme after a previous colour revamp made council planners see red.

When House of Highlands took over the former So Coco restaurant at 1 High Street, opposite the Town House, work started on a shocking pink colour scheme and frontage alterations that did not have planning or listed building permission.

Highland Council took enforcement action to halt the work, and last August after Covid induced delay, planning permission was granted for a toned down new look.

House of Highlands, which sells tartan and other Scottish gifts mostly for the visitor trade, will now be cloaked in a muted dark blue and dark red colour scheme with gold highlights.

Inverness Civic Trust welcomed the refurbishment after initially objecting because they considered that the selection of colours and the dominance of signage along with the proposed manner of lighting were unsympathetic to the B listed building and "unduly dominant in the streetscape in this part of the Riverside Conservation Area.

Council planners said this amended scheme provides a significant upgrade on what was there before, "in dark traditional colours in a proportionately considered scheme, with applied lettering and a subtle lighting scheme.

The permission also covers fascia signs, menu-board signage and product display on the curved corner wall.

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