THE contract for the demolition of most of the old Chivas Brothers site in Paisley has been awarded to a Greenock company.

Renfrewshire councillors agreed to appoint Caskie Limited to complete the £394,000 works at the Renfrew Road site, which will eventually become home to a new Paisley Grammar School.

Finance bosses have outlined the old administration building at the front will remain in place for now along with Kersland House.

Renfrewshire Council bought the majority of the site from whisky giants Pernod Ricard last year and is in discussions with architects about whether the iconic main building can be saved and form part of the future school development.

Earlier this year, nearly 1,000 Paisley residents publicly called for the building to be spared from demolition, with many regarding it as one of the town’s more prominent landmarks.

The remainder of the site – including the North Hall – has been taken over by Bridge of Weir-based Scottish Leather Group.

Caskie Limited will move onto the site from the end of this month, with the demolition due to be completed by December 17.