A council hub in the heart of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile has been significantly refurbished by Esh Construction and is now delivering a more efficient and user-friendly service to the public.

The Livingston-based construction specialist recently completed the fit out of the Customer Hub at 249 High Street and it has now handed the project over to City of Edinburgh Council officials.

The project to internally convert the local authority’s Customer Hub – part of the City Chambers – was rubber-stamped and fast-tracked by council planners in May last year.

Commencing in July, it allowed the relocation and integration of Registration Services, Throughcare, Aftercare and Youth Protective Services.

It has since seen floors four, five, and six of the listed building modernised, creating a more functional layout that will continue to provide value to the general public for years to come – from allowing the introduction of self-serve kiosks and confidential meeting spaces, to ushering in the council’s efficient new ‘q-matic’ reception for speedier service.

Under the plans, internal walls were demolished, doors removed and new acoustic partitions installed to form meeting/interview rooms, along with the fitting of new bespoke furniture, floor finishes, and toilet facilities.

City of Edinburgh Council says that the refurb has allowed it to make marked improvements to the way it delivers face-to-face services while providing it with a model for better ways of working amidst the need to maximise assets.

Esh Construction operates within a number of sectors, with significant experience both in construction and internal fit out projects. It is currently delivering a £5 million comprehensive fit out of the Cameron Smail Library at Edinburgh’s Heriot-Watt University.

Esh Construction’s Regional Director for Scotland, Gerard McMahon, said:

“It’s vital that City of Edinburgh Council continues to improve on the speedy and effective delivery of essential services at its Customer Hub, and we believe that the completion of this key refurbishment project will play a significant role in delivering on that aim.

“Due to sensitive works taking place within a listed building in the heart of the capital, the project demanded that disruption was minimised and that speed, quality and precision were at the front of our thinking.

“With that in mind, careful planning and preparation was put in by our teams in full consultation with the council, with project commencement representing only the culmination of a huge amount of partnership work.

“We take great pride in producing a final outcome which is in line with modern local authority demands whilst maintaining the highest standards throughout the process, and we believe that the new look Customer Hub is a great example of that.”

Esh Construction has significant experience of all forms of procurement and project delivery including joint ventures, framework agreements, and traditional tendering.

Across each site, the company aligns the meticulous standards expected of local authority facilities with dynamic design, modern construction techniques and energy efficient methods.

Stringent health and safety practices are a key focus for Esh Construction, particularly across its live sites, and the company works hard to ensure that its policies are respected and implemented by all staff and the supply chain.