Murdo has called for “quicker action” in order to carry out repairs and reopen a Perthshire cathedral that has been closed since the Covid pandemic.
He was reacting to the announcement from Historic Environment Scotland (HES) that there is currently no visitor access to the nave or tower of Dunkeld Cathedral.
This part of the Cathedral, which is in the care of HES, has been particularly affected by exposure to the weather and problems caused by degrading stone.
Commenting, Murdo said: “The Cathedral has been closed to visitors since the Covid pandemic and needs significant stonework repairs. It is good news that the scaffolding will be replaced but it would be good to see quicker action to get the repair work done so the building can reopen.
“Dunkeld Cathedral is a major tourist attraction in Perthshire and many visitors who travel to the area will be bitterly disappointed not to be able to access it. The cathedral and grounds were closed to the public since the period of Covid-related closures. However, the church continued to open for services, including weddings and funerals, and the grounds re-opened last summer.”
Murdo continued: “In their announcement, HES has said that the front gate and wall, both part of the scheduled monument, were damaged in an incident last year and repairs to address this are planned to begin in Spring. I am pleased to note they have had talks with the church and local stakeholders on future planning for the wider cathedral grounds and surrounding area, including the facilitation of community events within the cathedral grounds.
“However, many people will be looking forward to the actual re-opening of the Cathedral itself, so we need to see progress with this.”
