Gaiety could benefit from fund

Feb 20 2009

WITH the recent Scottish budget shambles behind us and with difficult decisions now having to be faced up to by South Ayrshire Council in particular I look to one positive outcome from the Budget.

The winning of a Town Centre Regeneration Fund by the Tory Group in the Scottish Parliament could offer a lifeline for the under threat Ayr Gaiety Theatre.

It is accepted that closure of the theatre would have a devastating effect on Ayr’s small business community which would certainly lead to further decline of the town centre as well as the restaurants, cafes and hostelries which surround it. The image of Ayr will be permanently damaged.

Accepting the depressingly high cost of the repairs and refurbishment may well be beyond capabilities of Council Tax payees a relatively small proportion of the £60M Regeneration fund could prove to be of immense value in turning the fortunes of Ayr around. For such purpose the fund has been created.

Well aware of the efforts being made by groups attempting to secure the future of the Gaiety I suggest a coming together and an early claim on the Regeneration Fund.

There will be few submissions made which could offer better outcome I feel sure.

Phil Gallie

Ayr.