Coupar Angus residents have united in a Mad makeover scheme to change the face of the town.
Locals had expressed concern at the state of several buildings which, after falling into disrepair, had become an eyesore.
A survey organised by Coupar Angus Regeneration Trust (Cart) highlighted concerns regarding several properties that looked a mess and were in dire need of attention.
Environmental group Coupar Angus Pride of Place saw an opportunity to bring the people of the town together while sprucing up the unsightly buildings.
Pupils from the primary school painted “windows” which were used to cover the broken glass of a building while the exterior was given a guerrilla paint-job.
One of the buildings targeted was the former Meg’s Cafe, which now sports cheery window boxes instead of smashed windows.
The project was supported by the Make a Difference (Mad) group of Forward Coupar Angus and joiner Ian Rodger. Pride of Place chairwoman Rona McKinnon said the work had been completed with surprising speed.
She said: “Cart recently completed a community consultation exercise, which asked residents of all ages their opinion on a variety of topics about life in the town.
“The adults were united in that, despite a regeneration of the town centre over the last few years, through a Heritage Lottery funded project, a number of nearby properties were being left to deteriorate.
“The children of Coupar Angus Primary School wished to be involved in a community public art project.
“Coupar Angus Pride of Place, the town’s environmental group, who are spearheading the town’s nomination to the RHS Britain in Bloom 2013 competition, saw this as an opportunity to bring different groups of the community to work together on a project that would benefit not only their efforts in the Britain in Bloom competition but also the wider community.
“The Coupar Angus and Bendochy Children’s Ministry were contacted and they quickly agreed that the children would be willing to make some ‘fake windows’ for the building in the High Street, formerly known as Meg’s Cafe. This has been done with each ‘pane of glass’ on the lower windows enhanced with wild flower illustrations.
“The windows in the top floor of the building have been enhanced with window boxes supplied by Pride of Place.”
Rona also thanked those who had worked together to complete the project.
The Make a Difference squad is led by Joe Richards. He said a hotel had also been highlighted as a building in need of work.
He said: “The White House Hotel was the main building of concern in the consultation exercise as the gutters were overflowing and the building had been left unpainted for many years.”
Joe and a few others clubbed together to buy paint and equipment and set about the town with a brush. He now wants to spruce up more buildings.
He said: “We understand that due to the recession and decrease in the housing market a few properties have been left by their owners to await better times.
“We do not charge for the painting or powerwashing but we do need the owner’s permission.”