Progress on Crieff eyesore is hailed Drummond Arms work kicks off

A community group securing Crieff’s Drummond Arms can only benefit the town, it has been claimed.

This week scaffolding went up around the iconic edifice which dominates James Square as work finally got under way to make it safe following its successful acquisition by Crieff Community Trust (CCT).

Members of CCT and its subsidiary trading company, Drummond Arms Regeneration Limited (DARL), gathered to see the first steps being made to revitalise the building on Tuesday.

And local politicians from across the political divide lined up to praise the progress.

Strathearn ward independent councillor Rhona Brock commented: “I am delighted work has started and that CCT is continuing to drive it. The members kept going and didn’t ever give up, and hopefully in my lifetime I will see something vibrant done with it.

“I hope the community will come out and support it, whatever it turns out to be.”

Local SNP councillor Stewart Donaldson declared: “I am so pleased that it has happened. Huge congratulations to Crieff Community Trust. They’ve had a long fight to establish ownership.”

Cllr Donaldson cautioned that whatever goes into the Drummond will need to be sustainable.

He added: “I really want to see this bring life back into the centre of Crieff.

“The worst thing of all would be if we sort out the shell of the building and then not go forward. We’ve got to progress.”

Conservative ward councillor Roz McCall concurred. She said: “Again, hats off to CCT. DARL took ownership of the building only about a week ago and already we are seeing a massive difference.

“That shows what can happen when you have somebody behind a project that is actually wanting to do something.

“So here we are, a week later, and the scaffolding is up.

“The building is now secure to a certain extent for people walking underneath it and I have great confidence that the next stages will be done just as rapidly and just as well.

“I think Stewart is right with what he is saying.

“The biggest concern for the building is if we are back to this in 10 years’ time, or whatever, so we are looking for a really vibrant project that will take this building on.”

Perthshire South and Kinross-shire SNP MSP Roseanna Cunningham was also in attendance.

She said: “As one of the people who signed the original registration for the community right to buy back in the days when the whole thing was first conceived – and I had to get permission to do so because I was a government minister – this is a few years down the line but it’s an absolutely fantastic development and I am so pleased to see it.

“And I bet Crieff is absolutely thrilled to see that something is beginning to happen here.

“This is the culmination of a huge amount of effort over a long time, overcoming many complications, and I look forward with great anticipation to the next chapter for this historic building right in the

Congratulations to Crieff Community Trust. They’ve had a long fight...