150-year-old grain building set for £3.5m restoration revamp

Corn Exchange: The building will be restored to its former glory.Melville

A 150-year-old building is set for a £3.5m restoration revamp to restore it to its former glory.

The Dalkeith Corn Exchange in Midlothian was built in 1854 and when it first opened was the largest indoor grain market in Scotland.

Over the years it has seen both Winston Churchill and William Gladstone deliver speeches from the internal balcony.

The building has been empty for a number of years but is now set to be restored and turned into offices for Melville Housing Association. It will also be home to Dalkeith Museum, managed by the Dalkeith History Society.

Melville plan to include solar panels and a ground source heat pump to provide power and heating.

Unemployed youths taking part in a local training scheme will carry out some of the work on the building, allowing them to learn about restoration work.

The new museum will have its own entrance and reflect the history of the building and the town.

Brian Christie, chairman of Melville Housing, said: "The Corn Exchange has a long history of community use and is close to the hearts of many local people, especially those who have happy memories of when it was the Empress Ballroom in the 1940s & 50s where they met their future wives and husbands.

"We have received overwhelming support for our proposals which will revitalise a building which has played such an important part in the heritage of Midlothian.

"As well as permanent offices for the Association, the plans for the museum and community use will ensure that the Corn Exchange continues to play a key role in the community."

Melville have been granted funding from both Historic Scotland and Heritage Lottery Scotland.

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