Maybole town hall is to undergo preservation work this month.

The historic building is set to be preserved for future generations thanks to funding of £1.2million, including nearly £580,000 from the Scottish Government.

Other key funders include South Ayrshire Council, Historic Environment Scotland and Heritage Lottery.

The project will see major enhancements to the building, including conserving the iconic tower which is believed to originate from the 1500s.

The tower will get a new roof and repairs will also be carried out to the masonry. A new accessible entrance will be added to the north side, returning that part of the building to its former Victorian grandeur.

The car park will also be completely resurfaced.

Inside the building, the kitchen will move to the main hall and the heating and lighting will be modernised along with the electrics.

The good news does not stop there, with the high street set to receive another boost thanks to the North Carrick Community Benefit Company.

The NCCBC will transform the unused Maybole Charity Shop into an enterprise centre. Funding for this project includes £200,000 from the Scottish Government and a further £300,000 from NCCBC, Heritage Lottery and Historic Environment Scotland.

Mark Fletcher, chair of Maybole Community Council said: “In these challenging times it’s great to see these long-awaited projects, key to the regeneration of Maybole Town Centre, starting in May.

“Special thanks go to the Scottish Government, without their added support these projects would not have been able to progress, thanks also to NCCBC, Historic Environment Scotland and Heritage Lottery whose continued support will make a huge difference to the town centre.

“The next step is to look forward to the Active Travel project being approved by Sustrans which will make sure the high street is accessible to residents and visitors alike.”