A PADDLE steamer which made its first voyage in the 1950s has been awarded nearly £1million by the Scottish Government to pay for a full restoration.
The Maid of the Loch, which currently resides in Balloch, was built by Glasgow shipbuilders A&J Inglis of Pointhouse, and is the only known example left in Britain of an ‘Up and Doon’ ship.
This means she was built and bolted together and launched right away in the shipyard before being disassembled and transported to her final destination of Loch Lomond.
In 1996, she was given to the Loch Lomond Steamship Company, which is determined to get her sailing again.
It is hoped the £950,000 package from the Regeneration Capital Grant Fund (RCGF) will help to create jobs and boost tourism in the area.
John Beveridge, chair of the Loch Lomond Steamship Company, said: “This is major milestone moment for the Maid of the Loch. It is a complete game changer for the Maid’s full restoration.
“This takes us significantly closer to reaching our £5.5million target, but we still have a way to go.”
West Dunbartonshire Council Leader Jonathan McColl added: “This is a significant regeneration, job creation and tourism project that will deliver superb training opportunities, 30 full-time jobs and increased footfall into Balloch.
“We hope to see an increase in tourism footfall of up to 95,000 visitors each year.”
The Maid’s restoration has also been supported by a number of other groups, including the Heritage Lottery Fund, Scottish Enterprise and a recent crowdfunding campaign.
Local Government Minister Kevin Stewart said: “This is an example of how national and local government are working together on shared priorities that benefit communities.”
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