Citadel gets new lease of life as £700,000 revamp begins

A FACELIFT for the Citadel Youth Centre in Leith began this week.

The £700,000 refurbishment will see the historic building transformed, with work including a new reception extension, better layout, a new art room and a refurbished games hall.

The project is run by the City of Edinburgh Council as part of the Leith Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI), a Lottery fund project bringing £9 million investment.

The Citadel management committee, councillors and Leith Youth Council yesterday celebrated the start of the refurbishment. While work goes on, staff and users will move to the Acorn Project at Junction Place and return to the Citadel in January 2009.

Councillor Paul Edie, housing and regeneration leader, said the work would give the Citadel a new lease of life. "This money will be used to make a difference."