Ayr town centre gets government cash aid

Aug 14 2009

MORE than £2million in government cash will help save Ayr town centre.

The massive cash windfall will be used to overhaul dilapidated shops, revamp run-down streets and help re-open the Gaiety Theatre.

The old Woolworths building at the north end of the High Street is among the properties that it’s believed will be bought by South Ayrshire Council in a bid to spark the regeneration process.

And hundreds of thousands of pounds will be spent giving the Sandgate and Newmarket Street a major makeover.

The council had applied for a £2.83million share of the Scottish Government’s £40 million kitty to revitalise town centres across Scotland.

And they were thrilled to learn that they’d managed to secure £2.2million – the biggest award to an individual town in Scotland.

The bid outlined the ambitious plan to refurbish five vacant council owned properties in the High Street and Sandgate that contribute to the run-down look of the town centre. This will bring a whopping 500 square metres of retail space back into use.

The acquisition of vacant and redundant shops at the north of the High Street will allow the area to be redeveloped in conjunction with the private sector.

And it’s good news for the beleaguered Gaiety Theatre.

For the bid contained a £1million plan to carry out essential works to allow the theatre to reopen.

Leader Hugh Hunter explained that the council has agreed to match the £500,000 they requested from the government.

He said: “This is a fantastic start for the renaissance project. We are absolutely thrilled.

“We will move very quickly to ensure that this money is spent wisely.

“There are several elements to the bid and we are still waiting on the Scottish Government getting back to us with exact details of which elements have been successful.

“But we have been successful in securing four-fifths of our original bid so we will be able to carry out the majority of the work.”

He added: “As far as the Gaiety is concerned it is also great news.

“We have made a commitment to match the Scottish Government funding.

“The deadline for expressions of interest for taking over the Gaiety has now passed and the bids are being evaluated.”

Councillor Hunter also revealed that he is still awaiting the outcome of a multi-million pound bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund to help pay for a townscape heritage initiative.

This would include a fresh coat of paint on the much maligned eyesore buildings at New Bridge Street.

He added: “The facelift we want to carry out on Sandgate and New Market Street will fall in very well with this project.

“We hope to hear the outcome of this bid very soon.”

News of the successful bid has been welcomed by Ayr MSP John Scott.

He said: “This is simply fantastic news for Ayr.

“I know that a lot of hard work was by in by the council and Ayr Renaissance team to make as strong a bid as possible and I think it is fair to say that effort has paid off in spades.

“Everyone agrees that there is an urgent need to revitalise the centre of Ayr and to once again establish the town as the premier shopping centre on the west coast.

“This £2.25 investment package is exactly the kick-start that is needed and will allow many of the projects that have been planned over recent years to actually move forward.”

And SNP group leader Nan McFarlane added: “This is a tremendous boost for those members in the renaissance group and the council who have worked hard to bring this funding to Ayr.

“It will be a great incentive to Ayr town centre retailers, the people living in the town and visitors to know a start is being made on the town’s facelift project.”

Cumnock town centre also managed to secure a slice of the Scottish Government pie.

East Ayrshire Council have been given £749,000 towards their upgrade of the town centre.