£231,000 for St Bride's Centre, Douglas

Douglas-based St Bride's Community Group Centre will receive 235,546 to support the redevelopment of St Bride's Hall, while a range of rural business sites in South Lanarkshire will benefit from 231,638.

"We are chuffed to the gutties to get this money," said St Bride's committee chair Sinclair Scott.

"We want this money to pay for a new gym in St Bride's Hall, with showers and other facilities."

St Bride's Hall, a community centre staffed by South Lanarkshire Council and run by a local volunteer management committee, comprises a main hall, two meeting rooms, a computer suite, larder and toilets.

St Bride's group co-ordinator Iain Waller said the re-development plan includes provision for childcare facilities, which would allow adults to access activities in the centre while their kids are being safely looked after.

He added: "We have made a bid for further funding and we should have that in place by the end of May.

"Hopefully building work at the hall will start in the autumn and last for six months."

Explaining how the additional 231,638 of funding for Clydesdale will be spent, a South Lanarkshire Council spokesman said: "We are investigating a number of options in the rural area to enhance the business infrastructure."

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