One of Britain’s best-loved actors has given his support to ambitious plans by Dundee High School to build a new multi-million-pound arts centre in the city.
Richard Wilson gave his backing to the plans to turn the city’s former head post office into a new state-of-the-art facility.
He joined guests from around the world at a gala dinner to launch the project at the Palace of Westminster.
The One Foot in the Grave star said: “I am all in favour of this wonderful building and wish it every success.”
Dundee High School bought the former post office at Meadowside in 2013 and architects Page/Park are developing plans to convert it into learning and teaching facilities for art, drama, music and culinary arts.
A spokesman for Page/Park said: “The acquisition by the school of the former post office building adjacent to the main school complex has initiated a remarkable vision for an arts complex second to none in an academic context in the United Kingdom.”
Dundee High rector Dr John Halliday said: “The ability to think analytically, critically, but also creatively is a crucial component of what we do in school.
“The new centre is a once-in-a-century opportunity for us to ensure that creativity continues to flourish within the education we provide our pupils, for generations to come.”
The renovation of the building is expected to take several years, with the fundraising campaign due to run until 2020.
The work will also deliver a main auditorium, a dining hall and further administrative and social spaces for pupils and staff.
The interior of the historic building has been stripped in anticipation.
The director of development at Dundee High, Oliver Jackson-Hutt, said: “Dundee is experiencing a cultural renaissance and it is fitting that its oldest school, founded in 1239, makes a strong positive contribution to this regeneration, inspiring the whole community and cultivating the leaders of tomorrow.”
The school will be holding a further public launch of its campaign in Dundee on August 31.