Final home determined for Faith, Hope and Charity statues

10th February 2009

The location of a permanent home for three nine foot statues, Faith, Hope and Charity, that once adorned the roof of an Inverness High Street drapers store, was decided today by members of The Highland Council's Inverness City Committee.

In principle, Ness Bank Church Gardens on the banks of the River Ness will be the final resting place of the statues which spent over 50 years in Orkney since the building on which they were orginally sited was demolished.

Following a public consultation in March to May 2008, two sites were identified as favoured locations for the statues' reinstatement, with first choice location at Ness Bank Church; and second choice location on the West facing Castle Embankment.

In November 2008 members of the Inverness City Committee requested the full cost of installation of the statues at the two sites; and the costs of the statues being mounted on a single or three separate plinths.

Members were informed today (Monday 9th Februrary) by the Council's City Manager, David Haas that the cost of works associated with locating the statues at the Castle Embankment would be in excess of £350,000.

As the costs of preparing gound foundations for the Ness Bank Church site were estimated to be around £5,000, members agreed to instruct the City manager to arrange for detailied proposals to be drawn up and presented to a future City Committee for installation of the statues at the publicly favoured Ness Bank Church site.

Chairman of the Highland Council's Inverness City Committee Provost Jimmy Gray said: "I am glad that a decision has been made for the the final resting place of these iconic structures. I am sure that they will become major City landmarks making their own unique contribution to the cultural landscape of Inverness."

The three statues were purchased by the Inverness Common Good Fund for £15,000. The Common Good Fund has currently allocated £25,000 for the planning stages of reinstating the statues. Members of the Inverness City Committee will be provided future updates on funding implications of reinstating the statues.