Shetland Museum and Archives achieves BURA Award
The Shetland Museum and Archives is one of five winners of the BURA 2008 Awards for Best Practice in Regeneration. The British Urban Regeneration Association carried out three rounds of rigorous assessment, before a panel of experts chose the five exemplary projects out of over one hundred others.
Of the five winners the Museum and Archives was the only Scottish project, with the other four all based in England. Michael Ward, Chief Executive of BURA, said about the winners: “These five schemes represent the best in regeneration practice. They bring together committed partners from the private, public and community sectors, and have achieved proud results. Funds for regeneration may be scarce in the coming period. But these projects demonstrate what can be achieved through long term commitment, innovation and imagination. The 2008 Best Practice award winners stand as a beacon to show Government, business and funders the true potential of sustainable regeneration.”
Describing the winners, BURA said of the Museum and Archives: ‘The substantial impact of the Museum and Archives on the Island’s economy is evident in further built developments, new jobs and not least the impressive visitor figures showing a 40% increase to Shetland in 2007/8, with over 88,000 visitors to the Museum and Archives. This is a project where a Trust has risen to the challenge of professional service provision, and where the partners have been rewarded for their strategic view with a network of successes.’
Alan Blain, Deputy Manager of Shetland Amenity Trust, gave the Trust’s reaction: “We are thrilled to receive this accolade. To be selected from over 100 projects and be the only winner in Scotland is fantastic. Sustainability, regeneration and the environment are at the heart of the Trust’s operations and we strive for best practise in all our projects. The Museum and Archives project gave us the opportunity to try new ideas and initiatives and its success is evident in the visitor numbers and the recognition it is now receiving.”
The other winners were: Bishop’s Square, Spitalfields; De La Warr Pavilion, Bexhill-on-Sea; Fort Dunlop, Birmingham; and Royal Arsenal, Woolwich. Congratulations to all.