Repairs to a precious piece of Inverness’s industrial heritage could soon be on the cards following a detailed inspection yesterday.
A restoration expert spent more than two hours examining the mosaics on the former AI Welders building in Academy Street.
The survey was commission by Inverness City Heritage Trust in preparation for a project to preserve the historic artworks later this year.
The three-storey French renaissance building, which is currently owned by the Cairngorm Brewery, was built between 1893-1895 as the offices for the Rose Street Foundry.
The mosaics themselves date back to 1896 and the manufacturer of the tiles, Craven and Dunhill, is still in existence.
The company’s base at Ironbridge in the Severn Valley is thought to be the oldest tile factory in the world. It also houses the Jackfield Tile Museum, which was instrumental in helping to pinpoint the origins of the Academy Street murals.
Among the experts who used a cherry picker to access the building yesterday was specialist restorer, Gary Bricknell, who regularly works with Craven and Dunhill on projects.
He said the Inverness mosaics were of a high standard and were “unique” in the Highlands.
The street was closed from 8am until around 11am yesterday to allow the survey to take place.
Inverness City Heritage Trust chairman Councillor Jimmy Gray said: “These mosaic panels are a joy to behold and everyone in the city would love to see them, and the building, restored to its former glory. This is a major step forward to achieving that goal and we are delighted to play a part in rescuing them.”
The Inverness City Heritage Trust distributes grants for building repair projects in the Riverside and Crown conservation areas of Inverness and is heavily involved in the current drive to regenerate the city-centre.
The survey is being carried out in conjunction with architecture firm Makar, which is working for the Cairngorm Brewery Company.