Air show’s cash row grounding

Last week’s column item headlined “Air Show Cash Is Great News” and phrases like “Well done South Ayrshire Council!” may have given some readers the impression that something positive was happening.

The headline should have been “Dithering Council in Air show Shame” and included the phrase “what the heck is going on here?”

I apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Yes, no sooner were the presses running my peon of praise when I discovered South Ayrshire had cancelled take- off on a £ 300,000 a year, three year deal for the Air Show.

My sources tell me that the council now want a bigger say on where their cash is going . . . and who it is going to.

And there is now a “confidence issue” about whether the Air Show has the right management team to take it forward.

To be fair, keeping closer tabs on council cash hand- outs during these austere times is understandable. It’s called good house- keeping.

But South Ayrshire also has to accept that organisers Doug MacLean and Danny Anderson have a flawless track record – and built an event that exceeds expectations year on year. To stop them packing their bags – and taking the Show elsewhere – South Ayrshire will have to turn good housekeeping into good management relations.

If the 2018 event is to go ahead – that will need to happen this month . . . not next year.