Work has started on a £5m project to redevelop a 17th century burgh hall in West Lothian.
The contract to revamp Linlithgow's Burgh Halls has been awarded to Hunter Clark of Glasgow, one of Scotland's leading building and masonry companies.
The company will work to designs drawn up by Malcolm Fraser Architects to transform the historic building into an arts and heritage venue.
The refurbishment project is scheduled for completion by March 2010.
The £5.2m budget to transform the burgh halls is made up of partnership funding of £3.8m from West Lothian Council, £772,500 from the Heritage Lottery Fund, £381,000 from Historic Scotland and £250,000 from the Scottish Arts Council.
The restored burgh halls will be a multi-purpose centre featuring heritage interpretation, visual arts and crafts, arts education programmes, events and activities.
"Linlithgow is widely regarded as the jewel in the crown of West Lothian and the new-look Burgh Halls will be an important addition to the attractions of the town"
Schools will use it as a resource to study the story of the building, its links to Linlithgow Palace and St Michael's Parish Church and its long-standing central role for the Linlithgow community.
The redevelopment will also strengthen the building's traditional role as Linlithgow's Town House, staging events and celebrations including the Marches, the Advent Fair and folk, arts and book festivals.
The redevelopment of Linlithgow Burgh Halls is the third part of West Lothian Council's three-venue arts strategy, which has already refurbished the Regal Community Theatre in Bathgate and is redeveloping Howden Park Centre in Livingston.
Peter Johnston, the leader of West Lothian Council, said: "We warmly welcome the funding support of our partners in this exciting new project.
"Linlithgow is widely regarded as the jewel in the crown of West Lothian and the new-look Burgh Halls will be an important addition to the attractions of the town."
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