An iconic north store has finally risen from the ashes, 18 months after it was gutted by fire.
Fashion outlet M&Co in Inverness is back in business and had sporting royalty on hand yesterday to do the honours with a ribbon cutting ceremony.
Fresh from an awards ceremony in Edinburgh the night before, local judo champion Stephanie Inglis was back in time to usher in the Academy Street store’s new era.
It was a poignant moment for Inverness branch manageress Mairi Campbell, who has been with the company for 15 years, and got the dreaded phone call that night, last April, to be told the place was ablaze.
She said: “It was just a normal day at work until I got the call at 10pm, actually from my son, to say that firemen had just smashed the front doors of the shop.
“I’d been on the phone and I gather that the police had already been trying to contact me.
“I was absolutely devastated. I stood out there until about 2.30am not knowing quite what to do. I was in shock, it was just disbelief and wondering what we were all going to do.
“Today is amazing. We feel like we’ve come home. This is where we belong. It’s lovely to be back.”
Ms Campbell praised her employers for their handling of the drama, keeping staff on by redeploying them at their Nairn and Dingwall stores for the entire period the Inverness branch was being refurbished.
It was Commonwealth Games silver medallist Stephanie’s second shop opening in the space of a month, having previously been called on by a local car showroom.
Making impressive progress in her fightback from a life-threatening motorcycle accident just a few months ago, she said: “I enjoy this sort of thing. It’s different.
“I’d shopped here myself a few times and when it burned, that was scary moment. Today’s been great, with a fashion show and cute kids taking centre stage.”
Mike Smith of the city’s Business Improvement District initiative was also among those celebrating the reopening of the 224-year-old listed building.
“It’s a fantastic day,” he said. “Having the store back is brilliant for the city centre. It was obviously a big loss when the fire struck but I think M&Co are to be congratulated in doing this in such a short time and in such a great way.
“There’s more floor space and better offices upstairs and it’s a great credit to them.”
A total of 46 firefighters from across the Highlands tackled the blaze over several days. The cause remains a mystery.