Girvan has received funding from several national bodies in order to revive itself as a Scottish tourism hub.

Culture Secretary Angus Robertson announced in Govan, Glasgow today (Wednesday, May 17) that eight communities across Scotland are set to benefit from £863,050 funding, awarded by Historic Environment Scotland (HES) and the National Lottery Heritage Fund (Heritage Fund).

One of the eight communities receiving funding for their regeneration plans is Girvan.

Read More: ‘Horrendous’ Ayr High Street flats plan gets go ahead despite neighbours’ objections

“Girvan’s Story”, a project run by South Ayrshire Council, has received funding to revive Girvan as a community-led tourism destination.

The project will address underinvestment in the town’s historic environment, work with community engagement through community heritage activities, and provide opportunities for traditional skills training, particularly for young people in the area.

HES and the Heritage Fund have joined forces to jointly provide the area-based funding, through the new Heritage & Place Programme (H&PP) run by HES to support the regeneration of Scotland’s places, and the Heritage Fund’s Thriving Place commitment to create better places to live, work and visit. 

Susan O’Connor, Head of Grants at HES, said: “We are delighted to announce £863,050 to support the regeneration of eight heritage areas in Scotland.

"This is the first time that HES and the Heritage Fund have coordinated our funding in this way, and by working together, we are able to create an even bigger impact for communities across the country.

"Heritage-led regeneration and the reuse of historic buildings is an important catalyst for generating long-term social and economic benefits, and I'm incredibly excited to see the plans develop over the next 12 months to help contribute to a vibrant and sustainable future for each of these eight places.”

Caroline Clark, The National Lottery Heritage Fund Director for Scotland, said: “The funding we are announcing today, thanks to National Lottery players, will help revitalise eight communities across Scotland leading to potential investment of up to £19.8 million.

"Our aim is to help drive heritage and community focused regeneration, helping local people to deliver long-term, sustainable improvements.

Get unlimited access to the Ayr Advertiser's online content: https://www.ayradvertiser.com/subscribe

“By working jointly with HES we have been able to double the support offered to these communities, so that whether these initiatives are focusing on a small coastal town or a post-industrial city centre, each place can approach its regeneration with ambition, imagination and heritage at its heart.”

Speaking in Govan, one of the communities set to benefit from funding, Culture Secretary Angus Robertson, said: “Scotland is internationally renowned for the quality and diversity of its historic environment which plays an important role in shaping all of our lives.

“This joint community-focused funding initiative will deliver positive and lasting change to Scotland’s places as well as raise awareness around the importance of sustainability. 

“If we are to be successful in our transition to net-zero we must encourage more restoring and repurposing of heritage assets to ensure our historic environment is protected for the benefit of future generations.”