Young blood may revive Pictavia site

Company plans to reopen visitor centre as children’s soft play area

Its halls once rang with the battle cries and tales of Scotland’s ancient tribes, before it too was consigned to history.

But a former Angus tourist attraction could come back to life with the clamour of face-painted soldiers.

The £1.2 million Pictavia visitor centre opened in 1999 to tell the story of the Picts, who left hundreds of artefacts, standing stones and houses in the Angus countryside.

The former Angus Council attraction closed in 2014 as the failing centre was said to be “doomed from the start”.

New owner Brechin Castle Centre Ltd has said families visiting its garden centre and shops next door are generating “demand” for a soft play centre.

And an “exciting and unusual” treehouse play area will serve a wave of small invaders, according to agents Pleydell Smithman.

Consultant Kathryn Farden said the change of use would directly employ six people, with more jobs possible for local suppliers to the business.

She said: “The site has become an established part of the local community and provides an important service for tourists to the wider east coast area.

“Pictavia occupied a building immediately to the south-west of the main garden centre until closing in October 2014 due to insufficient visitor numbers to maintain viability.

“It is an attractive building and an alternative use needs to be found to bring it back into use.

“Garden centres have developed over time to offer a wide range of products and services from their sites over the years.

“Attracting families to garden centres is important as the traditional garden centre customer base is changing.

“A demand for soft play has been identified from conversations with existing customers and the large number of families which visit the site.”

Two play zones will be created, one for toddlers and one for older children, both of which will include foam mats, play equipment and ball pit areas.

A coffee shop will be provided so that parents can enjoy refreshments while supervising their children.

Pictavia’s annual operating cost was £37,000 from 2010 to 2014, with only £10,000 in income each year.

The planning department’s decision is due by May 6.

A different kind of invader could return to Pictavia at Brechin.