How the building was saved

After the Catholic Apostolic Church moved out, the building deteriorated until there was water running down the walls. In the 1990s a Friends organisation and the Mansfield Traquair Trust were set up to seek the rescue and restoration of the building and murals.

Use as a function space and offices was identified; SCVO became a partner as future tenant; the Heritage Lottery Fund and Historic Scotland offered substantial grants and the City of Edinburgh Council used its powers under listed building legislation to resolve the ownership problem.

The result of this voluntary effort was the restoration of the building in 2000-02 and of the murals in 2003-05, the latter providing work experience for young conservators.