School pupils will help bring mosaic back to life

A faded mosaic in Perth city centre will be given a facelift thanks to a local trust and team of school pupils.

The decorative facade on Mill Street is expected to be replaced this month.

Spearheaded by the Perth and Kinross Heritagetrust (PKCT) and recreated by students on recent traditional building skills courses, they and mosaic artist Helen Miles promised to brighten up the very top of the road, next to the Lower

City Mills and Mercure Hotel.

The revamp is part of a larger program to re-imagine and reopen the mill area to the public, with an expected completion date in summer 2025.

Among the improvements includes attending to the conditions of the immediately surrounding amenities, such as the Perth Lade.

A PKCT spokesperson said:“the original mosaic was installed in approximately 1991 but became badly damaged when tiles started to dislodge.

“By 2021 there was only a small ring left at the centre. We have re-created the entire two metre circular design and intend to lay it between the cobbled sets in 19 sections.”

The trust’s courses are part of its ‘Building Skills – Inspiring Futures’ project which aims to encourage more young people into traditional trades such as stonemasonry, traditional carpentry, roofing, among others, as a profession.

This year the trust has included sash and case window conservation and mosaic restoration.

Courses are free to those between 15-25 and are funded by the PKCT, Historic Environment Scotland and the Gannochytrust.

Students come from Perth Grammar, Perth High School, Bertha Park and St John’s

Academy - and all over the country.