Cash handout could help to re-open Ayr's Gaiety

Jun 19 2009 by Stuart Wilson

THE GAIETY could get a £500,000 handout.

And if the council’s cash bid is successful the money would have to be spent on the theatre by April next year.

South Ayrshire Council have vowed to match the payout with another £500,000.

Chiefs have applied for a share of the town centre regeneration cash on offer by the Scottish Government.

In addition to the Gaiety money, they have also asked for £750,000 to refurbish five vacant council properties within Ayr High Street and the Sandgate.

And they want £580,000 to contribute to a facelift for the Sandgate and Newmarket Street.

The top of the town centre is also expected to get a revamp.

South Ayrshire Council has applied for £1 million to buy vacant and redundant retail premises at the north end of the High Street.

The Scottish Government announced a £60 million regeneration fund targeted at town centres across the country.

South Ayrshire Council have requested a total of £2.83 million.

It is expected they will find out in August if they have been successful.

The Gaiety closed at the end of January this year amid a massive public outcry.

If the council are successful in getting the money for the theatre, it will be committed within this financial year.

It will enable the council to address health and safety issues and make the building compliant for the disabled to enable its re-opening.

The theatre would then be managed by a private sector partner with no ongoing revenue cost implications anticipated for the council.