'Wobbly' masonry detour for MSPs

The parliament leases the building from the Kirk

A risk of falling masonry has forced Scottish Parliament officials to close the MSPs' entrance to the chamber.

The entrance at The Mound in Edinburgh was closed when engineers who were working on the roof found loose coping stones.

Members have been advised to use the Mylne's Court or New College Quadrangle entrances instead.

Architects from the Church of Scotland, which owns the building, have begun surveying the structure.

A spokesman for the Scottish Parliament said: "The entrance was closed yesterday (Wednesday) afternoon because of safety concerns about the stonework.

Loose stones

"No masonry has fallen but structural engineers who were examining the roof spotted that coping stones and mortar were loose.

"They therefore notified the Church of Scotland whose architects are now dealing with the problem.

The Kirk has leased the building to the parliament until construction of a new purpose-built structure in Holyrood is completed.

MSPs must choose an alternative route

It said it hoped to complete repair work before 25 May, when the week-long annual General Assembly of the Church of Scotland begins.

During that period, the Scottish Parliament will transfer to Aberdeen for three days of full plenary session.

A Kirk spokeswoman said: "We, as owners of the building, which dates from the 1840s and which we lease to the Scottish Parliament, do the ongoing maintenance.

"That has been slightly more than usual recently because on the New College Quadrangle side we've been doing some work on the roof.

"We understand yesterday some slightly wobbly coping stones were discovered which are nearer the Lawnmarket side of the building."

Barmaid killed

Scaffolding will be erected if the repairs cannot be completed by the start of the General Assembly.

Concerns have been raised about the state of masonry on some of Edinburgh's old buildings.

Australian backpacker Christine Foster, 26, died after being struck by falling coping stones in June 2000 at Ryan's Bar in the west end of the city.

Edinburgh City Council is currently undertaking a survey of 16,000 structures in the city centre to identify those which might pose a risk to public safety.