Official Opening of Greenock’s 200 year old Custom House
The Official Opening of Greenock’s 200 year old Custom House also makred the 10 year anniversary of Riverside Inverclyde’s successful regeneration efforts
Riverside Inverclyde, the organisation charged with the economic regeneration of Inverclyde, celebrated not only the completion of the refurbishment of Greenock’s Custom House, but also its 10 year anniversary at a ceremony held at the lovingly restored, 200-year old Georgian Custom House on Friday November 3.
Martin Brennan, Provost of Inverclyde, who formally re-opened the building and unveiled a plaque to mark the occasion, said: “The upgrading of this building, ably delivered by the team at Riverside Inverclyde, has helped to preserve this landmark for the current and future generations.”
Also present was Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Renfrewshire, Mr Guy Clark, Fiona Maguire, Chief Executive of Riverside Inverclyde and project architect, Tom Connelly of Elder & Cannon.
Restoration of the Custom House has been a six year, £6 million project for Riverside Inverclyde. And while the Custom House is the jewel in the crown, the organisation has been the driving force behind much of the Inverclyde’s recent renaissance, including the Riverside Business Park, which employs 600 staff, the creation of James Watt Dock Marina and water-and-wind-proofing of the Sugar Warehouse, designed by Walter R Kinipple, and completed in 1886.
Ms Maguire, said: “It has been a stellar decade of achievements for Riverside Inverclyde, almost too many to list. Being able to cap the 10 years with the completion of this iconic piece of Greenock history is magnificent.
“We are not resting on our laurels, though; we have a number of projects currently in the pipeline, including Baker Street, a dedicated Food and Drink Incubator Hub in Greenock, and the development of a new spur road into Port Glasgow Town Centre.”
Over the past decade, the organisation has obtained more than £73million direct investment in Inverclyde, from a variety of sources. These include modern business centres in Gourock (Municipal Buildings), Greenock (Victoria House), and Port Glasgow (Scarlow House).
In addition to developments and restorations, Riverside Inverclyde has setup networks of local construction companies and community hubs, such as the Local Construction Forum, the Regeneration Forums as well as delivery of the Community Benefits Programme, which provides the benchmark to maximise opportunities for local people.
Photograph: Provost Martin Brennan, Fiona Maguire and Mr Guy Clark