Dumfries and Galloway Council has officially submitted a claim to recover the funds it provided to restore Moat Brae, the mansion in Dumfries that inspired JM Barrie’s Peter Pan.
The claim, lodged as part of a liquidation process, follows the closure of the Moat Brae literary center in August, only five years after its opening.
The council is one of four secured creditors, each of whom may seek a share of the over £3.5 million in total outstanding funding.
The council confirmed it had submitted a claim for hundreds of thousands of pounds, representing the funds it contributed for Moat Brae’s restoration. Any recovered amount would derive from asset sales, including the mansion itself, minus liquidation costs.
The other creditors include Historic Environment Scotland (HES), Creative Scotland, and the National Heritage Lottery Fund, each of whom provided substantial financial support to the project.
Historic Environment Scotland, which contributed £500,000 for work on the building’s roof, stonework, joinery, plaster, and heating, expressed disappointment about the situation, stating that the trust’s board had not approached them prior to the center’s closure.
A spokesperson confirmed that, under their funding agreement, they could seek repayment in the event of a sale or liquidation.
Creative Scotland, which granted £688,000 in 2015, echoed these sentiments, citing similar conditions tied to their funding.
The National Heritage Lottery Fund, another major supporter of Moat Brae, is also consulting with stakeholders and other creditors but declined to comment further on its course of action.
Dumfries and Galloway Council, meanwhile, cautioned that the sale process could extend until year’s end as liquidators explore potential buyers.
Moat Brae, where JM Barrie played as a child, initially received widespread backing from cultural and heritage organizations when it opened as a children’s literature center.
The center’s closure has left creditors and funders working with liquidators to secure a resolution that could allow for the recovery of funds and, potentially, a new chapter for the historic property.
Also read: Gérard Depardieu’s Sexual Assault Trial Postponed Amid Health Concerns
