A multi-million pound project to transform Paisley's historic cultural venues has been delayed.
Renfrewshire Council's current investment in the area includes refurbishments of the town's museum, town hall and arts centre, plus a new home for its library services.
The reopening dates of these venues have now been pushed back due to pressure affecting the wider construction industry caused by the Covid pandemic and other global events.
Construction work on Paisley Town Hall is due to be completed in the summer – with the building then handed over to local culture and leisure trust OneRen, who will spend the next few months ensuring the town hall is fully fitted-out and that the building and staff are ready to welcome visitors later this year.
The town hall will be open in time to host events during the Royal National Mod, Scotland’s largest celebration of Gaelic language and culture, taking place across Paisley in October.
New rooms and modern facilities will be added to the existing building, while preserving its unique and much-loved historic architectural features, to turn the town hall into a top-class entertainment venue.
Meanwhile, the new Learning and Cultural Hub is being built in a formerly-vacant High Street retail unit.
Construction is due to be completed in the summer, with library services to be transferred there from their temporary home next to the Lagoon in the second half of the year.
Paisley Arts Centre is being extended and upgraded, with new modern audience and performance facilities, and a new public space outside the building.
Construction work will continue into the summer and the venue is expected to reopen by early 2024.
Paisley Museum is being transformed into a world-class destination to showcase the town's internationally-significant collections and bring visitors and footfall to the town.
Construction is due to be completed later this year, before the comprehensive programme of exhibition fit-out starts, with the building expected to open in 2024.
Each building will be operated by OneRen, who - once handed over - will complete the fit-out and get the building ready to operate, while also delivering a programme of opening events.
The venues programme is being complemented by investment in the town centre's outdoor spaces and historic buildings, with plans to improve Abbey Close as an events venue also moving forward.
And the £5million Townscape Heritage/Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme is entering its final year, having helped fund the restoration of several prominent historic properties and outdoor areas, plus shopfront improvement grants and a community engagement programme.
An update on progress with the programme is being given to members of the council's economy and regeneration policy board ahead of their meeting next week.
Councillor Andy Steel, the board's convener, said: "This ambitious programme of venue investment aims to preserve Paisley's unique heritage for future generations, provide homes for top-class events and cultural experiences, and bring new footfall to the area.
"Alongside the major investment taking place in the new Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District (Scotland) currently emerging beside Glasgow Airport, we hope it will create new jobs and economic benefits for the whole Renfrewshire area.
"Global events of the past few years have produced unexpected pressure on construction projects everywhere, and mean the programme has taken longer to complete than we'd initially expected.
"But – starting with Paisley Town Hall later this year – we are now counting down to the point where people can see for themselves what the investment has delivered."
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