It’s time to give a little back

Airshow needs more funding

small business in Ayr displaying an “I Support the Air Show” sticker by donating a prize and selling tickets. It’s the type of community involvement and support the Air Show organisers want – and need.

And finally – yes, finally - we have to look to our own local authority.

South Ayrshire had its biggest visitor day ever on Saturday, there were crowds on the beach and surging up our streets that probably surpassed even the halcyon days of the Glasgow Fair.

South Ayrshire Council must head the queue of Air Show supporters.

Yes, times are hard and cost cutting is part of the process. But SAC have got to see the big picture here.

They need to treat the Air Show like a growing child. Nurture it, feed it, support it and spend money on it.

One day, the “child” will come of age and start paying for itself. With the correct management of resources, the day will dawn when the Air Show starts MAKING money for South Ayrshire Council.

We need a bold initiative. We need to secure the Scottish Air Show for Ayrshire the next five years.

I would bust the budget and offer the organisers a gradually reducing package - £ 200,000 next year, £ 150,000 in 2017 and dropping by £ 50,000 annually.

That’s five years of security for the organisers and a half million pounds of funding. In real terms, it’s about half the money they’re spending on Ayr Town Hall’s roof repairs!

It’s also five years of the Air Show maturing into a self- supporting national and international event.

In the meantime, the least they can do is give the Air Show an office, a phone, a laptop and a dedicated employee on, say, £ 25,000 a year.

It would be their job to organise the raffle I just mentioned, talk to Trump Turnberry about a glittering Air Show Ball, talk to Royal Troon about the Air Show Golf Classic and Ayr Racecourse about an Air Show Race Day – and fix anything the organisers need fixing.

In the meantime, if you can’t give cash to next year’s Air Show – just give thanks for this year’s event. We had Ayr’s best Saturday ever.

From the Rozelle parking attendants to the Red Arrow pilots . . . well done everyone involved.