Renfrewshire showcases its unique heritage buildings as doors open for the weekend

Thousands of families and heritage lovers from across the West of Scotland visited Renfrewshire at the weekend for Doors Open Day.

Popular heritage buildings – such as Thomas Coats Memorial Church, Paisley Abbey and Sma’ Shot weavers’ cottages saw hundreds of visitors come through their doors.

Visitors took the opportunity to see inside Tannahill’s cottage – famous as the home of Paisley’s son Robert Tannahill – and watch as the only remaining fully operational bridge of its kind – the Inchinnan Bascule Bridge, designed by Sir William Arrol – lift up at Renfrew.

Paisley’s ambitions to be UK City of Culture 2021 featured in an exciting Yarn Storming inside Paisley Abbey as part of PaisleyMake – a design showcase supporting Paisley’s exceptional textile history and reconnecting the Paisley Pattern – the town’s global brand – back with the town.

History lovers popped into Johnstone to see the UK’s only museum in a supermarket – Johnstone History Museum sits inside Morrisons – and over to Paisley to visit Paisley Thread Mill Museum, which sits inside Mile End Mill, Abbey Mill Business Centre.

Renfrewshire’s Provost Anne Hall and members of the public also took part in a charity zip slide to raise much needed funds for four Renfrewshire charities – Renfrewshire Carers Centre, RAMH (Recovery Across Mental Health) and two hospices – Accord and St Vincent’s.

More than 50 buildings and locations took part in Doors Open Day in Renfrewshire, which is part of an exciting calendar of events for the area that supports Paisley’s bid to be UK City of Culture 2021.

The area’s rich heritage and vibrant cultural scene, at the heart of local communities, is a key component of Paisley’s bid.

Provost Hall said: “Doors Open Day is always a fantastic event that many people enjoy and this year was no different. Renfrewshire has a wealth of heritage buildings and hidden gems and people love getting inside to see them.

“Paisley Abbey also featured three special workshops as part of PaisleyMake, with the public making corsages, origami and yarn storming the Paisley 2021 logo.

“Brave members of the public also joined me for a charity zip slide in East End Park, which will raise much-needed funds for my four chosen charities. I really enjoyed my first zip slide and it was great that it took place as part of Doors Open Day.

“Renfrewshire’s unique features also proved popular among visitors, with two new buildings – St Machar’s Ranfurly Church and Erskine Community Allotments – also opening their doors at the weekend.

“We are fortunate to have examples of brilliant architecture and innovative venues across the area. Renfrewshire should be proud of its heritage and cultural offering, and Doors Open Day does a wonderful job of showcasing why the Paisley’s bid for UK City of Culture 2021 is so strong.”

Paisley’s bid is taking place as part of a wider push to transform the town’s future using its unique cultural and heritage offering as the home of the Paisley Pattern and the one-time centre of the global textile industry.

Bids are expected to be lodged with the UK Government’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport in spring 2017.

For more information on Paisley 2021, visit www.paisley2021.co.uk, like /Paisley2021 on Facebook or follow @Paisley2021 on Twitter and Instagram.