Panmure House Restoration to Commence in 3 Weeks!

Panmure House NEWS

It has just been announced that the first restoration works for Panmure House where Adam Smith lived with his mother, Margaret Douglas Smith and his cousin and housekeeper, Janet Douglas, from 1778-90, are to commence on September 13, 2013.  It is the only building where he lived that has survived to the 21^st century

“ENABLING WORKS COMMENCE ONSITE”

“I am pleased to announce that we have now raised the necessary funds and completed the tendering exercise for the underpinning contract at Panmure House.

This contract will enable us to provide the additional height required for the main reception area and the proposed kitchen and toilet areas situated in the lower ground floor of the House. The contract has been awarded to MG Construction Ltd, specialists in this type of work. They will start on site on 16 September 2013 and the work will take approximately three months.”

This is excellent news.  It has been a long struggle, mainly with officialdom. Panmure House is one of Edinburgh’s iconic Heritage sites that has been allowed by official neglect, as owners of the building since the 1940s and as legal regulators/”obstructors” of its restoration since it was acquired by EBS from them in 2008. Happily all is now well and EBS can get on with the necessary rescue and restoration and raising the funds to do so.

Of associated interest, a first edition of Adam Smith’s “Wealth Of Nations” is to be auction in Edinburgh on 4 September.  I hope to attend the sale (as an observer, not a buyer!) to watch what happens.   The guide price is £30 to 50,000 (a 1^st edition was sold by auction in New York some months ago for $70,000).