PROJECTS which will help parts of Glasgow adapt to Covid-19 restrictions and city food pantries have been awarded more than £680,000.

Glasgow councillors have approved handing out cash from the Scottish Government’s Town Centre Fund to 20 groups.

Two schemes at Albert Drive, which was hit by fires in November 2019 and April last year, have been funded, boosting regeneration plans in the area.

Pollokshields Community Council has been granted £9,460 for a mural as part of the revival at Albert Cross and Southside Housing Association will get £20,000 for close entrance improvements on Albert Drive.

READ MORE: Glasgow health board warns: Do not attend vaccination clinics without appointment

Councillor Jon Molyneux, who represent Pollokshields, welcomed the two schemes.

“There’s a really good range of projects here,” he added. “I’m really pleased to see it.”

Councillors agreed to give out over £238,000 to ‘animating spaces’ schemes, which will “assist town centres to adapt to the challenges of Covid-19 by creating spaces for safe movement and trading”.

Agile City has been awarded £15,000 for an active travel hub on the former Phoenix Nursery site and events venue BAaD will get £20,000 for covered market and hospitality spaces at Moncur Street.

Improvements to Dowanside and Ruthven Lane can be made by Byres Road Business Improvement District after £19,225 was granted.

GalGael will receive £20,000 for a marketplace, Glasgow Artists’ Moving Image Studio (GAMIS) will get £15,340 for work on Batson Street and Indepen-Dance has been awarded £20,000 for a wellbeing centre.

Another £20,000 will go to the Kinning Park Complex, £19,679 to Mount Florida Community Council and £19,964 to My Shawlands.

Southside Housing Association will also get £20,000 for tenement frontage improvements on Pollokshaws Road. Websters Theatre will receive £19,489 for a project at Kelvin Square.

Around £445,000 will be handed out to groups who will establish or improve food pantries across the city.

Elderpark Housing Association has been awarded £115,555 and Spireview Housing Association will get over £127,000 for a Royston pantry.

DRC Youth Project will receive £87,000 for a north west pantry on Dumbarton Road and Govan Home and Education Link has been granted £50,000.

SWAMP can use £21,900 for a pantry in Pollok, Flourish House will get £21,275 for a facility on Westercommon Drive and Help 4 The Homeless/Najra Helping Hands has been awarded £11,350 for a Clydeside pantry.

More than £10,000 will go to the Govanhill Baths Trust and its people’s pantry on Cathcart Road.

Almost £355,000 from the fund has been awarded to the Saracen Street Business Improvement District to improve shopfronts in Possil.

Conditions of the Scottish Government grant state that all money should be spent before the end of March, with work completed by September.