Ayr panto axed due to council cuts

Jul 30 2010 by Stuart Wilson, Ayrshire Post (main ed)

IT’S SURVIVED wars and economic collapses.

But South Ayrshire’s Christmas pantomime hasn’t escaped council cutbacks.

The festive spectacular has failed to make the bill only twice since 1903.

Now it bites the dust as beleagured council bosses try to plug holes in their leaking budget.

They’ve axed the family favourite after last year’s move to the Citadel ended in financial disaster.

But instead of finding a suitable alternative, South Ayrshire chiefs have cut their losses and brought down the curtain on an institution.

Theatre legends have reacted with disgust at the move, which they reckon is another nail in Ayr’s coffin.

Bernard Cotton, manager at the Gaiety for almost 20 years, said: “This is a great shame, but it’s probably been coming for a while.

“I find it very sad that the families of Ayrshire and the surrounding areas will not have their usual attraction to go and enjoy.

“One thing’s for sure – the pantos at Kilmarnock and Glasgow must be delighted because their audiences will be boosted significantly.”

South Ayrshire’s panto hit the headlines when last year’s move to the Citadel leisure centre resulted in a loss of £125,000.

Red-faced council chiefs were forced into a review of their decision – and decided the show must NOT go on.

It comes despite the town’s rich panto history, which has only missed twice in more than a century – once when war broke out in 1939 and again when the theatre burned down in 1955.

Ex-Gaiety star Glen Michael insists that the council has failed to explore other options.

He said: “This is a disastrous move.

“There doesn’t have to be all this expense and you can cut costs to fit a budget.

“Sometimes all it takes is imagination – that’s the whole point.

“Pantomime has always been successful in drawing in audiences and was often the moneymaker which saw many theatres through quieter spring and autumn seasons, so why change it?”

The Gaiety used to be renowned as the nursery for theatre talent.

The likes of Ricky Fulton, Frank Carson, Ken Dodd and the Alexander Brothers all appeared there through the years.

Hopes were high that the Gaiety would be revamped following last year’s closure, but progress has been slow.

In October 2009, ex-council leader Hugh Hunter promised: “We’re aiming for the Gaiety to reopen by the autumn of 2010, all being well.

“But it will definitely be open in time for the panto next year.”

However, those have proved to be empty words, and the building remains a long way off reopening.

Ayr councillor Ian Cavana insisted: “We could surely explore the possibility of getting sponsors for the pantomime.

“There’s all this talk about renovating the town – but this should be a big part of it.”

And while South Ayrshire flounders, promotion is already under way for this year’s panto in East Ayrshire, where ticket sales increased last year.

South Ayrshire Council’s community development chief, Roddy Macdonald, said: “While last year’s pantomime production was very well received by both audiences and critics, we did consider the learning points from this experience and, as a result, we are not proposing to host a pantomime in Ayr this year.

“We are committed to providing a rich and varied mix of productions to ensure that South Ayrshire continues to be a vibrant place for performances, with something of interest on offer for a wide range of tastes and audiences.”