09/04/2026
๐๐๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐๐ซ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ญ๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ก๐๐ฌ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ข๐ ๐ก ๐๐ญ๐ซ๐๐๐ญ, ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ฆ๐๐ซ ๐๐๐ง๐ค ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐จ๐ญ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ข๐ฅ๐๐ข๐ง๐ .
It is coming up to a year since the Bank of Scotland closed its Peebles High Street branch and the โFor Saleโ board went up, and today Peebles Community Trust (PCT) is delighted to announce that we have successfully completed the purchase of the building. We now turn our attention to moving the โRe-Useโ Hub to its new home in the coming weeks.
PCT Chairman, Michael Ireland, said โthis is a real milestone for PCT and the wider Community which we are incredibly proud to share today.
โWe wonโt be making any exterior changes to such a fine building although we will making some minor changes internally such as redecorating and installing shelving and shop displays, so weโll be busy for a few weeks getting ready and then moving the Re-Use Hub from School Brae into its new High Street home.
The Trust secured the purchase by way of part funding through a loan from Social Investment Scotland, with the balance made up from PCTโs own cash reserves. Mr Ireland emphasised โ โWe are incredibly grateful to Social Investment Scotland. They have been supportive of this project throughout the entire process.
This loan to PCT does mean some extra financial pressures on the Trust, but we intend to launch some fundraising options soon, to help pay the loan off as soon as possible and raise much needed cash for other Community projects. PCT Treasurer, Susan Lawton said โ โweโve planned for the additional financial commitments arising from this purchase, based on our current income from the Re-Use Hub, but we are all confident that the move to the High Street will increase the overall profile and footfall, which, in turn, will hopefully translate into increased income for the Trustโ.
PCT are also hoping that the increased profile and footfall to the new High Street Re-Use Hub will increase the number of โre-lovedโ items being donated and therefore reduce the number of items going to landfill as a direct result.
Mr Ireland added โ โthe Re-Use concept is a bonus for everyone locally at a number of levels, as items destined for landfill from the town are diverted to re-use and this generates income for the Trust, which, as best possible, remains in the town, as PCT are committed to spending that money on goods and services locallyโ.
PCT were also keen to thank the Bank of Scotland and those organisations and individuals who have supported their journey in purchasing the building. Mr Ireland highlighted โ โIโm not sure if we would have been successful without support from others and the Bank of Scotland have been exceedingly accommodating in the process, which, again, has meant we could keep progressing the purchase with certainty.โ
