McGregor Bowes

Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) has approved £250,000 for the transformation of the historic John O’Groats Mill. The HIE contribution completes the funding package of £3.6m, which includes national investment from the Heritage Lottery Fund (£1.6m), Scottish Government (£1.5m) and Historic Environment Scotland (£500,000). SSE Highland Sustainable Fund, Stroupster Wind Farm Community Benefit Fund, the Wolfson Foundation and the UK government’s Community Ownership Fund have also provided funding. The project has been hailed as a great example of how funding can be used to bring more investment into the region. The category “B” listed mill complex is being brought back into use as a heritage attraction and community venue in an ambitious £4.9 million project led by John O’Groats Mill Trust.

HIE approves £250,000 for mill transformation at John O’Groats The transformation of John O’Groats Mill has been hailed as a great example of how funding can be used to bring more investment to the area.

Congratulations to Fruitmarket for winning the The Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland Client of the Year Award for The Fruitmarket Gallery by Reiach and Hall architects. It was good to be part of the team as a health and safety consultancy.

Post from John O'Groats Mill Trust . The extension at the rear of the mill is starting to take shape.

Two quick things...

We're at the return of the Canisbay Show today! Gates open at 12.

Also, the new-build section on the north side of the Mill is well underway!! Come see some more photos of progress at the show today.

⚒️👷‍♀️🪓

With Kirkmichael Trust – I just got recognised as one of their top fans! 🎉

I've signed; if you care about Scottish Listed Buildings, look at the details and see if you would like to support this too.

Petition: Safeguard Scottish Listed Buildings at risk of unnecessary demolition Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to set a minimum evidence requirement to prevent unnecessary use of emergency public safety powers to demolish listed buildings.

A heritage initiative that will help tell the story of milling in Caithness.

Caithness Community Milling History is a community project which seeks to uncover the stories, images and people involved in the milling industry in Caithness. Led by the John O'Groats Mill Trust, Dunnet Bay Distillery (Stannergill Whisky), Nucleus: The Nuclear and Caithness Archive, and Wick Voices, it will run until spring 2025, providing learning, sharing and engagement activities for groups and individuals across the county.

If you or a member of your family or community worked in a Caithness mill, lived near one or used the mill or its products, we'd love to hear from you! Stories, photos and documents can help us build up a picture of those who lived, worked and interacted with the mill industry over time. Even if you have no direct connection with milling, but are keen to learn more, there will be opportunities to help uncover and archive stories and information. To take part or follow along, please join our Facebook group, where everyone is welcome to share their knowledge and tales of all things related to the mills of Caithness.

McGregor Bowes' RIBA signboard at John O'Groats Mill.

The RIAS recently featured one of Chris Bowes' Case Studies on the Scotsman Steps for his application for Conservation Accreditation at the Advanced level in one of their Practice Information Notes.

McGregor Bowes' advert in The Scottish Castles Association's "The Journal".

McGregor Bowes Company Newsletter 2024 - https://mailchi.mp/mcgregorbowes.com/mcgregor-bowes-company-newsletter-5426022

Some of you may have noticed... works to bring the Mill back into use have officially started!! ⛏️

Delighted to announce that O'Brien Construction have been appointed and will be on site for the next year.

This feels like the perfect time to say a massive thanks to you, our community who have commented, supported, attended, donated and been huge champions for the Mill. This would not be possible without you! 💛

AGM
7th Dec
7:30pm
John O'Groats Hall

McGregor Bowes is in the papers.

Work under way at John O’Groats Mill after £3.2m contract award John O’Groats Mill is on course to become a heritage attraction and community venue by 2025 with work now under way on repairing and extending it.

McGregor Bowes is proud to be part of the team as lead consultant, architect, contract administrator, and principal designer.

‘Huge milestone’: £3.2 million contract awarded for John O’ Groats Mill renovations The old John O'Groats Mill is getting a new lease of life.

Good coverage in John O'Groat Journal and Caithness Courier of the proposals for the mill.

Maree Todd 'thrilled' by transformation at historic John O’Groats Mill Far north MSP Maree Todd has praised the team working to bring John O’Groats Mill back into use as a heritage attraction and community venue.

QUICK REMINDER! 📢

We're running tours at the Mill tomorrow (SAT 16 SEPT) as part of Doors Open Days Caithness and Sutherland. Last time before the renovation!

Tours: 11am / 12pm / 1pm / 2pm / 3pm

No need to book. Just come along!

📸 - Caithness images by Gavin Bird

Hope you have decided which of the Doors Open Days venues you are going to visit this weekend
Remember its free, but we would love to have your feedback
Have a great time

Dunbeath Heritage Museum Yarrows Heritage Trust Wick Heritage Museum Nucleus: The Nuclear and Caithness Archive 8 Doors Distillery John O'Groats Mill Trust Dunnet Bay Distillers Castlehill Heritage Centre North Coast Visitor Centre Halkirk Heritage & Vintage Motor Society Strathnaver Museum Old St Peter's Kirk Preservation Association Venture North

It's that time of year when past and current projects participate in Doors Open Days. An earlier weekend was Kirkmichael on the Black Isle and this Saturday 16th September is John O'Groats Mill. You can find out more here if you want to visit:
https://www.doorsopendays.org.uk/.../the-john-ogroats-mill/

And if you want to find out more about the mill and the proposals, you can follow the John O'Groats Mill Trust page here:

https://www.facebook.com/johnogroatsmill

It's that time of year when past and current projects participate in Doors Open Days. An earlier weekend was Kirkmichael on the Black Isle and this Saturday 16th September is John O'Groats Mill. You can find out more here if you want to visit:

https://www.doorsopendays.org.uk/places/highland-caithness-sutherland/the-john-ogroats-mill/

If you are in the Black Isle tomorrow why not go and see the work The Kirkmichael Trust have done for Doors Open Days.

We're here at Mey Highland Games all day today! Come say hello.

Nice to see John O'Groats Mill get mentioned in this
Heraldscotland.com article by Sandra Dick

'The mill is a magical place - it’s like stepping back in time' A throwback to a gentler way of life in the heart of Sunset Song country, for generations Benholm Mill’s giant water wheel powered the gears that…

This Kirkmichael Trust post reflects on the various TV appearances of the Kirkmichael project, which show how far it has come. It was good to be part of it all.

3/3 Concluding the posts by on their page for the SPAB , they shared a video of a presentation by Rogni Brown and Bryony Robinson of the Trust, with an appearance at the Q&A session by Chris Bowes of McGregor Bowes, for the Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust and SPAB Scotland as part of a previous “Milling Matters” weekend.

https://www.facebook.com/johnogroatsmill/posts/pfbid0R7ofj6ZhCxEZqLHxQzMa7HeCacXJm64FkYaTdzZJuGQeKoxJJ8pA9o7ao8knYk6Kl

Milling Matters Online Talk: John O'Groats Mill Trust In the lead up to PKHT and SPAB Scotland's 'Milling Matters' weekend conference on National Mills Weekend (2022) we hosted four online talks. To celebrate Na...

2/3 Continuing the posts by John O'Groats Mill Trust on their page for the The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings SPAB Mills Section , they shared a video by Historic Environment Scotland of a discussion by Kevin Grant and Simon Montgomery about the mill and the project for their digital Doors Open Days during lockdown.

John O' Groats Mill | Doors Open Days | We Love History Live Discover the past and present of John O’ Groats mill, the last grain mill to be built in Scotland, and learn about the historic industries of Caithness in ou...

The John O'Groats Mill Trust response to The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings SPAB Mills Section .

The community-driven project breathing new life into John O’Groats Mill As we approach National Mills Weekend, Bryony Robinson, Development Manager at John O’Groats Mill, kindly answered a few questions about this exciting project.

Post from Chris Bowes' Linkedin page. Chris has been a Civic Trust Award Assessor since 2019. You can see the post here:
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/chris-bowes-54420724_thanks-to-the-civic-trust-awards-for-the-activity-7062069771973877760-TDJI?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

Ending the week with a reflection on the news coverage of the National Lottery Heritage Fund Scotland support of almost £1.6M for John O'Groats Mill Trust and the restoration project so it can engage with the community to help provide opportunities in the surrounding area. The news got a lot of traction and was covered by: local papers Northern Times and John O'Groat Journal and Caithness Courier; trade press like Scottish Construction Now, Urban Realm, and Museums + Heritage - leading sector magazine and events; and wider afield in news outlets like HeraldScotland; London Evening Standard; The Independent; The Times and The Sunday Times. McGregor Bowes is looking forward to the delivery stage of the project and continuing to work with the client, John O'Groats Mill Trust, and the rest of the design team, Torrance Partnership, Narro, Rybka, and Bright.

£1.6m boost for John O'Groats mill project from National Lottery Heritage Fund Plans to breathe new life into the historic mill at John O'Groats have been given another massive boost with lottery funding of almost £1.6 million.

John O'Groat Journal and Caithness Courier were the first paper to pick up on the news of the John O'Groats Mill Trust funding boost for the Mill restoration project.

£1.6m boost for John O'Groats mill project from National Lottery Heritage Fund Plans to breathe new life into the historic mill at John O'Groats have been given another massive boost with lottery funding of almost £1.6 million.