The refurbishment of the Chambers Institution in Peebles will start this spring, with services and facilities moving out of the building in the coming weeks.
Confirmed dates for service relocation and reopening will be communicated shortly once all arrangements are finalised.
Major refurbishment
The major refurbishment of this landmark historic building will secure its future as a vibrant cultural and heritage hub for Tweeddale and will include improvements to accessibility, reorganisation of space to increase usage and a new glazed frontage and entrance on to the High Street.
Funded by the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund and supported by us, the project will improve accessibility, co-locate key services and enhance opportunities for residents and visitors.
The Chambers Institution is a Category A listed building, originally gifted to the town by William Chambers in 1859. The refurbishment will honour its historical significance while creating a modern, accessible space for future generations.
Service relocation information
Contact Centre
To allow the refurbishment and improvement works to begin, current tenants will be relocated for the duration of the construction works, estimated to be 18 months. The exception is our Contact Centre, which will be relocated permanently to our Rosetta Road premises, from where it will continue to offer services to the public as normal.
Citizens Advice Bureau
The Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) will be temporarily relocated to 1-5 Newby Court, on School Brae, (to the rear of the Chambers Institution) and will be open to the public as normal. The CAB will then move back into a newly planned area of the Chambers Institution, with a dedicated entrance from Newby Court/School Brae.
Go Tweed Valley
Go Tweed Valley will temporarily relocate to Unit 1, School Brae and will also operate as normal before moving back into the refurbished reception area of the Chambers Institution in due course.
Live Borders services
Live Borders will continue to offer services, but in a slightly different way for the duration of the construction works. The entire museum collection and staff will be temporarily relocated to Eddleston Primary School. This will not be open to the public, but the aim is to accommodate ‘by appointment’ arrangements and community heritage learning activities once the team are settled in. The museum has now closed to allow staff to prepare for the move.
The library within the Chambers Institution will close later in March and a mobile library service will be provided three days a week during the spring and summer months (on Mondays at Eddleston and on Tuesdays and Fridays in Peebles). Throughout the spring and summer, additional mobile library services will also be delivered across the Tweeddale area.
Bookbug sessions will continue as normal, but will take place in the Burgh Hall, which remains open for bookings and events. The aim is to provide public access computers in the foyer of the Burgh Hall too.
All Live Borders services will move back to the Chambers Institution when the improvement works are complete.
Access to other facilities
Access will be maintained throughout the works to allow the public to visit the John Buchan Museum, the War Memorial, the Burgh Hall, and the Registrar’s Office as normal.
Councillor Robin Tatler, Chair of the Chambers Institution Trust
“We are reaching an exciting point in the project to revitalise this key community asset in Peebles and secure its long-term future.
“Inevitably there will be some disruption while services are relocated, but all the partners are working closely together to minimise this as much as possible, and I am pleased that alternative locations have been found for those tenants and services that do need to move out.
“As soon as all the final details are in place there will be further communication to service users and the wider community.”
Councillor Carol Hamilton Executive Member for Housing and Culture
“The community has helped to shape this project, with discussions having taken place since 2023 on how best to sensitively improve the historic facility and maximise its use. Over the next 18 months or so we will see that vision take shape.”