The fantastic Robert Smail’s Print Works in Innerleithen is a working museum in the Scottish Borders run by the National Trust for Scotland, showcasing a typical print works from the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It has a fantastic collection of type and letterpresses and is very hands-on, running workshops in print and letterpress as well as working as a commercial print jobs. It also has an impressive archive of print work dating back a hundred years.

To satisfy it’s remit and to become more sustainable the Works is looking to extend the premises to create a dedicated workshop space, an archive storage and access space for public research as well as offer training in the necessary skills of this dying art.

To quote:

“This building will give us the space to train, enthuse and inspire the next generation of letterpress printers ensuring that Robert Smail’s Printing Works remains working for future generations.”

Robert Smail’s is a great day out and a wonderful, unique resource.
The proposals are at planning stage and Robert Smail’s are seeking comments of support with the Scottish Borders Council by the 31st of January. To do so visit this link http://eplanning.scotborders.gov.uk/online-applications/ and enter the planning reference number 13/00006/FUL. You can then offer your thoughts by creating an account and adding to the comments of support there.

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