The future of Elgin’s High Street as a business centre is looking brighter with a property development firm set team up with a marketing agency and take on a major town centre regeneration project.
Peat Marketing Management Ltd has announced a collaboration with property development company Gairland LLP to refurbish a High Street building in Elgin and turn the former Caledonian Bank into the North of Scotland’s premier creative business hub.
The project is being billed as a major opportunity to attract creative businesses to the heart of Elgin, and boost the local economy. It is understood the refurbishment project, which spans three stories, will include state-of-the-art offices for Peat alongside additional office space for other creative companies.
Peat’s Managing Director, Alexander MacLeod, said the project was a milestone for his young marketing agency, which has only been trading for just over four months.
The agency counts The Inverness Whisky Festival, The Gordon and Ena Baxter Foundation, Park House, and the Brew at the Bog (BrewDog) festival as top clients.
Mr MacLeod said: “I’m really excited to be working with Garland LLP on this project. It is gargantuan, but I am so incredibly excited by our plans.
“We are going to establish the North of Scotland’s premier creative hub – a space for people of all industries and disciplines to grow and thrive. We have plans to turn this old bank into a truly stunning space.
“This will be a real opportunity to attract creative business to our town centre and boost economic growth. I’m proud that we are making this investment in Moray.
“This is a major milestone for Peat. we’re a young and agile agency and we’re growing at a rate of knots. Our aim is to deliver the full-service offering of a big city’ firm, but with the overheads of a Highland boutique agency.
“We’re privileged to be designing work for some truly special clients and my hope is that this new facility will reflect well on that work.”
A spokesperson for Gairland LLP added: “Following on from the popularity of our existing business centres in Elgin and Fochabers, we are looking to satisfy local demand for extraordinary office accommodation.
“Gairland LLP is proud to be based in Elgin, and we’re passionate about renovating old and interesting buildings like this one. On completion of the project, we will have a collection of truly stunning offices to offer to business and organisations interested in calling our High Street home.
“We are delighted to be working with Peat Marketing in this endeavour.”
It is understood that work is due to begin on the site early next year. The finished facility will include up to 10 premium creative office suites for rent, as well as a space for networking events.