THE First Minister is to move back into her official residence after £500,000 worth of repairs.
Bute House, in Edinburgh’s Charlotte Square, was closed last year after a routine inspection found urgent ceiling works were needed.
Nicola Sturgeon moved into temporary accommodation and meetings of the Cabinet have been taking place at St Andrew’s House.
Conservation work at the 18th-century A-listed Bute House, coordinated by Historic Environment Scotland, began in October.
Maintenance and modernisation, including the installation of heating, also took place while the building was closed. The total cost of the work was £504,216, while alternative accommodation costs for Sturgeon amounted to £19,220.
Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop said: “These necessary repairs and refurbishments mean Bute House can continue to be available for official Scottish Government business, as well as being preserved as an important historical and cultural asset for the nation.
“My thanks go to Historic Environment Scotland and the craftsmen and women who were part of a complex restoration project.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel