A PICTURESQUE building at the heart of Innerleithen is to receive a near-£8,000 spruce up.

Innerleithen Community Trust applied to Tweeddale Area Partnership for £5,000 towards the £7,810 cost of repainting entrances at the town’s Memorial Hall.

The aim was to increase lettings at the property.

A funding panel recommended that members should not agree the funding and that the hall’s owners should cover the costs instead.

But the area partnership overturned the recommendation.

Tweeddale East councillor Julie Pirone said: “The Community Trust do a fantastic job with the hall. The entrance is the gateway to the hall and they have lots of shows and events there catering to a huge wide audience and varying tastes.

“It is at the heart of the community in Innerleithen and should continue to be so in the future.”