EXCLUSIVE: Perth Concert Hall needs £3m overhaul in 20th birthday year
Perth and Kinross councillors have agreed to fund a £2.895m overhaul of the venue.
It comes as preparations are under way to celebrate Perth Concert Hall's 20th anniversary later this year.
The council says the funding will pay for 'essential maintenance and upgrades'.
There are no details of precisely what's required.
But a council spokesperson told The Courier the works are needed 'to improve the general condition and energy performance of the building'.
They added: 'The initial phase of works will prioritise the roof, heating and air conditioning systems and building fabric improvements.'
The steel and glass venue was completed in 2005 at a cost of £12.3m.
The new funding package was approved by Perth and Kinross Council's finance and resources committee.
The same meeting also agreed to award £75,000 towards celebrations in September to mark the 20th anniversary of the Concert Hall opening.
The 125 Live! street party will also commemorate the 125th anniversary of Perth Theatre.
The two venues are run by a charity, Horsecross Arts, on behalf of the council.
A spokesperson there referred questions back to the council.
The Concert Hall was officially opened by the late Queen Elizabeth II in 2005 following a two-year construction project.
It has hosted many top acts, as well as political conferences and other large gatherings.
And its Gannochy Auditorium is said to be one of the best-sounding halls in Europe.
The arrival of the Concert Hall rendered the old Perth City Hall redundant as an events space and it closed.
The city centre landmark lay empty for more than a decade and was slated for demolition before it re-opened as Perth Museum after a £27m facelift last March.
Councillors were warned in 2021 that Perth Concert Hall and Perth Theatre needed millions of pounds spent on them in order to upgrade 'fairly elderly' equipment and infrastructure.
The cost of keeping both premises ventilated was described as 'prohibitively expensive.'
A meeting in December 2021 heard: 'Horsecross had not any history of setting aside funds – probably because there wasn't the funds to set aside – for investment in its own internal equipment and infrastructure.'
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