The Eden Court Appeal received its biggest donation to date this week when the North British Hotel Trust handed over a cheque for £100,000 towards the redevelopment project.

The Trust is the charitable arm of The North British Hotels Trust Group, which owns and operates 24 hotels throughout the UK, 19 of which are in the Highlands and Islands. The Columba, the group's flagship hotel in Inverness is currently undergoing a major refurbishment and is scheduled to reopen in June 2004.

Trustee, former Inverness Provost and first Chairman of the Board of Governors of Eden Court, Ian C. Fraser was joined in the presentation by Stephen Gow, General Manager of the Columba.  Mr. Fraser said: "The Trust recognises the major social and economic impact that Eden Court has had in the Highlands and continues to have throughout the North and the Islands. It is a priceless resource and an indispensable contributor to the growth of the region. We are only too happy to offer our support and we hope our involvement will encourage others to join us in helping raise the two million pounds which has to come from the public appeal".

In accepting the cheque Ian D. Morrison, a Eden Court board member and chair of the appeal committee, thanked Mr. Gow and Mr. Fraser warmly for the Trust's generosity. "This is a major boost to our appeal. Our vision for the new Eden Court is to create an outstanding contemporary venue that takes full advantage of the heritage of the present buildings and the unparalleled waterfront location. This support from North British Hotel Trust sets us on the road towards achieving this."

The Eden Court Appeal aims to raise £2 million pounds over the next three years from corporate donations, charitable trusts and the support of the general public. The Appeal has been launched to fund a major redevelopment of the theatre with plans including:
• A second, smaller auditorium
• Dedicated studio space for drama and dance teaching
• Two new cinemas
• Refurbished front of house and dining areas
• Restoring the beautiful Bishop’s Palace with improved public access.

With the design phase underway, construction is expected to commence in the second half of 2005.  The new Eden Court is scheduled to open by the end of 2006, in time for the Year of Highland Culture celebrations in 2007.