Renfrewshire Heritage Centre to reopen as part of Covid-19 recovery

Renfrewshire Leisure says safety is the priority with measures including appointment-only entry and use of face coverings to protect visitors and staff

Renfrewshire’s popular Heritage Centre is reopening amid a surge of interest among people keen to learn more about their family history and community’s past.

The restart of on-site services on Thursday, September 17th, marks another stage in recovery from the coronavirus lockdown by the Centre’s operator, leisure and cultural charity Renfrewshire Leisure.

All visitors will be strictly required to pre-book their attendance and wear face coverings as part of health and social distancing measures being put in place to protect them and members of staff. Bookings can be made from today (Thursday, September 10th).

The Heritage Centre, temporarily located at the Abbey Mill Business Centre on Seedhill Road in Paisley as the £42m transformation of Paisley Museum continues, boasts an impressive collection of items and information which charts the stories of the people and places of Renfrewshire, from the earliest of times to the present day.

Its staff have been putting their expertise to strong use digitally during lockdown, supporting people with online research into the likes of family history and stories of the past from across Renfrewshire and expect the carefully managed return of physical services to be busy.

Christine McLean, Heritage Manager at Renfrewshire Leisure, said: “We’re looking forward to welcoming people back, albeit in a different way to that in which we’re used to, and helping them to use the great resources available at the centre, complementing the support we’ve been providing online and over the phone since March. Some of our team have 30 or 40 years’ experience so are a fantastic source of information themselves, as well as the fascinating resources we have.

“We’ve found that walks and the sights seen along the way during lockdown have inspired people to learn more about the history of the towns and villages in which they live – their built and social heritage. Lots of them have been getting in-touch to find out more information, as have those who have been using the time to explore their family history.”

To ensure that people can carry out their research in a safe and secure environment, coronavirus mitigation measures include:

• An appointment-only entrance system. Bookings must be arranged in advance by emailing heritage@renfrewshire.gov.uk or by calling 0141 618 5375.
• The discussion of research requirements ahead of arrival. Entrance will not be allowed without proof of pre-booking. 
• Specific table allocation. Tables will be two metres apart. The resources required will be placed on these tables prior to arrival. No further items can be added during the visit.
• Hand hygiene measures which protect both people and the items in the centre’s collection.
• The quarantining of resources for 72 hours after every use.

For more details on arrangements at the Heritage Centre – or how all other Renfrewshire Leisure services are affected by Covid-19 and the protection measures in place at each venue – go to www.renfrewshireleisure.com/coronavirus.