LOVE PAISLEY
Investing in history, securing the future
P
aisley town centre is home to some of Scotland’s finest architecture, a thriving local business and cultural scene, and unique historic venues. Those venues are currently being transformed through a multimillion-pound investment by Renfrewshire Council, which will help drive new footfall to the town in the years ahead. Here, we take a look at what is being delivered: PAISLEY MUSEUM The grand building at the top of the High Street recently celebrated its 150th anniversary. It is currently being transformed into an international-class visitor destination expected to attract around 125,000 visitors a year when it reopens in 2023. The building is being redesigned and reimagined by international architects AL_A – with the capacity expanded and the addition of a new wing and entrance, plus outdoor spaces opening up views to the Coats Observatory. Paisley’s internationally-significant collections will be reinterpreted and redisplayed to help tell the town’s world-changing story like never before. 34
PAISLEY TOWN HALL The town hall has been a muchloved centrepiece for life in the town for generations – and the work currently taking place in the building will keep it there for many more. The ongoing transformation will preserve the building’s magnificent 19th-century features but add 21st-century facilities to create one of the West of Scotland’s finest entertainment venues. When work is complete at the end of 2022, expect a main hall with capacity expanded to 1,200, new rooms including a dance studio and café-bar, and a much-improved visitor experience, and a bigger range of events driving new activity day and night. PAISLEY LEARNING AND CULTURAL HUB Also set to open in 2023 is the Paisley Learning and Cultural Hub, a new community, educational and events space on the town’s High Street.It will be a modern and digitally-connected home for the
town’s library services – currently located in a temporary building next to Paisley’s Lagoon Leisure Centre. The facility is being built in a former retail unit – continuing the trend of bringing vacant buildings back into use as cultural facilities, with the Paisley: The Secret Collection museum store already across the road. AND THAT’S NOT ALL… There’s loads more to look forward to. The council is also extending and improving Paisley Arts Centre and remodelling Abbey Close as an outdoor events space, while the £5m TH.CARS2 scheme is helping restore some of the town’s wonderful historic architecture to its former glory. We’ve also seen lots of investment in new private and social housing in and around the town centre in recent years, showing Paisley town centre is recognised as a great place to live, while other community-led venue projects will help bring new cultural activity and footfall in the years ahead.
