Bob Shields
Without wishing to exceed the boundaries of my usual modesty – I like to think I’m the kind of guy who could have a moderately successful stab at most things.
In this scribbling career, I’ve run a marathon, climbed Ben Nevis, written a book, caddied at The Open and fixed 5000 Christmas parcels for our boys in Iraq. I’m the geezer who cooked for Gordon Ramsay – in HIS house – and survived.
But on pain of having both ankles tied to separate Red Arrows, I couldn’t begin to organise the busiest and best Air Show in Scotland.
The men and women who CAN are rarer than rose manure from a rocking horse. And South Ayrshire has been blessed with a set of them.
We should be cosseting these people. On Monday morning they should have been wakening in a hotel suite – their biggest decision being what year of Dom Perignon to order.
Instead, they woke up at home, tired and exhausted - both physically and financially. And they’ll have to decide within a few days if they can face the challenge of a 2016 Scottish Air Show.
My sources say they are physically up for it – it’s the financial side that is causing concern.
My private drone was in the sky all weekend and recorded 120,000 people having the time of their lives on a sunny September Saturday.
However, on Sunday, the attendance at Prestwick Airport’s static show was lower than expected.
The harsh reality is that the “free” Saturday Air Show is supposed to be funded by Sunday’s ticketed event. And my understanding is that, sadly, the numbers didn’t add up.
If there is no “static Sunday” next year – you read it here first.
If you are asking “How can you attract 120,000 people and not make any money?” – you are not alone.
The organisers don’t even want to make money – they are a non- profit organisation.
They are aviation enthusiasts who want to do their best for South Ayrshire.
However, if the Scottish Air Show is to stay local in future years – South Ayrshire must start doing its best in return.
Too many local businesses are happy to see the extra trade the Air Show brings – but shy at putting their hands in their pockets by way of support.
For example, I’m told that ScotRail sold 11,000 tickets to or from Ayr at the weekend. I’m not told if a penny of the extra cash went into Air Show funds.
I also understand the # scottishairshow hashtag got over FOUR MILLION tweets in a single week.
It must be infuriating for the organisers to create so much interest . . . with so little funding in return.
Short of fencing off half of Ayr and putting in turnstiles – how DO you get a proper income from a “free” show?
I’m told the organisers are considering a “crowd- funding” scheme. What’s that? Well, essentially it’s a simple “If you want to support the 2016 event, here’s where to send your donation”.
It’s worth a try – but the crowd who could have given a huge donation were the 120,000 there on Saturday.
A dozen well placed “Support the Air Show” collection sites – perhaps with scale model Red Arrow jets as giant collecting tins – wouldn’t have gone amiss.
A spare Red Arrow jet, on the Low Green and asking a £ 1 donation for “selfies”, would have done brisk business.
I’ve spoken to dozens of people since the event and they ALL said they would have been happy to drop at least a fiver into a collection point – especially AFTER the amazing air display.
“The Red Arrows ALONE were worth a fiver . . .” said a mate.
Just half of the spectators – giving half of a fiver – would have seen the organisers £ 150,000 better off while the red, white and blue smoke was still in the air!
In an ideal world, a blue chip sponsor would come along and make everyone’s day. The Clydesdale Bank Scottish Air Show or the Johnnie Walker Scottish Air Show would do nicely thank you.
But in the real world, the organisers must chip away at the coal face of finance.
If local businesses won’t give cash, perhaps they could be tempted to give great prizes for a giant Air Show Raffle?
A £ 500 voucher for Tesco, Morrisons or Sainsbury, free meal packages from the Costley Group or Colin Blair’s Buzzworks . . . right down to the local butcher donating a bag of mince.
Imagine every shop and