Its closure 18 months ago sparked public outcry, but now a popular Perth fishery is set to open its doors again.
Following a lengthy wrangle with the local planning authority, the Willowgate Fishery is preparing for a fresh start.
The site operators, Tay Salmon Fisheries Company, hope the new and improved facility will provide up to 20 jobs for the area.
Company chairman Dave Clarke is also hoping to use the fishery as a base for a water taxi link between Perth and the V&A at Dundee, on top of his existing service to Elcho Castle.
He wants to create what he described as one of the first city-based specialist activity centres in Scotland, featuring all kinds of activities, from water sports to archery.
He said: ”The Tay is a wonderful river, but access is very limited. Along the north bank there is a rail line from Perth to Dundee and on the south bank, there is marshland, with no physical access to the river between Perth and Newburgh.
”We are now trying to open it up to more people.”
Although Perth and Kinross Council took enforcement action against Tay Salmon Fisheries Company at the beginning of last year after finding it did not have permission to change the original use of land, Mr Clarke has always remained confident the two organisations could work to find a solution.
He now believes planning chiefs are satisfied he has complied with legislation and will support his bid to reopen.
The businessman, who has committed tens of thousands of pounds to the fishery, said he had been working hard to turn things around.
”When we were forced to close, we were disappointed at the time, but had to accept the way the council had interpreted the planning issues,” Mr Clarke continued.
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”So, we rolled over and put in planning applications and with the council’s help we can hopefully make Willowgate even better than it was before. There are no sour grapes.”
The fishery should be open again by the end of next month, although this does not spell the end of Mr Clarke’s ambitions.
An application has been lodged with Perth and Kinross Council to create a new pond for ”public, leisure, recreational and fishing use” at Stockgreen Lodge, just 250m away from Willowgate.
Despite the concerns raised about the risk of flooding, this new development has met with approval from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), who are satisfied with its defences.
Also going through the planning process are proposals for a new boathouse with a landing stage for four river taxis, as well as accommodation for members of staff.
The site, below the Friarton Bridge, has been a hive of activity since it was closed, with extensive work carried out to improve the access road one of the bones of contention when the enforcement order was issued.
About 80 fruit trees have also been planted alongside re-established footpaths to encourage people to walk from the centre of the city to the facility.
The fishery also played a key role in the counting of fish stocks in the river Tay, which saw nets being used for the first time in decades on the stretch between Perth and Elcho.
Mr Clarke is also keen to find a new tenant to run the former cafe on the site.
He added: ”We are desperately looking for someone to run our 40-seat restaurant/caf. It must be someone interested in natural foods though we don’t want a burger joint.”