Airshow was dead even before arrival
If you offered any town in northern Britain a prepackaged and track proven International Airshow – they would take your hand off faster than a Spitfire’s spinning propeller blade.
Now restricted to coastal flying only – air shows are specialised and complex events that towns near airfields like Lossiemouth and Leuchars can only dream of . . . and cities like Glasgow and Edinburgh can’t even think of.
On the first weekend of September, our sea- scape could have been the RAF’s famous Red Arrows - possibly performing an unprecedented three displays over three days at a single venue.
It could also have included guest performances by air forces from the USA, Spain and the Netherlands.
And a fleet of vintage aircraft from all over Europe. Instead – all that will be flying over our heads that weekend will be seagulls.
And what do seagulls deliver? Well – it’s the same crock of stuff South Ayrshire Council delivered last week!
The 2020 Scottish International Air Show has been cancelled.
And it’s all thanks to a spineless, leaderless local council - pleased to put more importance on three pages of a written contract than three days of spectacular entertainment, 200,000 visitors and at least £ 6 million to the local economy.
SAC has been quick to fire- off a salvo of excuses and explanations. Well, you see, the air show organisers brought it all on themselves; breaching our agreement ; claiming a “mistaken” £ 80,000 . . . not being upfront with their accounts etc. It’s a pile of piffle.
The organisers did nothing they haven’t done before.
They have the paperwork to explain where every penny was spent on each of their hugely successful previous air shows.
The real difference between 2020 and 2018 is that all but one of the SAC staff who knew how the air show “worked” have left.
And the one remaining – who “mistakenly” signed off an £ 80,000 invoice - did it because . . . that’s what he or she always did.
Seized on by some jobsworth in legal services – and fuelled by reports that were at best jaundiced, and at worst prejudiced against the event -
SAC turned like worms from air show benefactors into air show detractors.
And when the organisers asked for meetings to clarify – or even satisfactorily modify - the funding arrangement, they were refused.
Even as late as last week’s death knell meeting – the organisers were declined an audience.
Ludicrously, they were not allowed to discuss their own agreement . . . because the council were discussing a confidential agreement.
And when they then asked for a “meeting before the meeting” – that was also refused.
The 2020 Scottish Intenational Air Show was dead even before arrival.
But here’s what concerns me – and involves you – about the loss of a truly great event from our calendar.
Where were Peter Convery, Craig Mackay, Bob Pollock, Philip Saxton, Ian Cochrane, Hugh Hunter, Helen Moonie, Margaret Toner, Ian Cavana, Ian Davis, Chris Cullen, Mary Kilpatrick, Siobhian Brown, Martin Dowey, Lee Lyons, Derek McCabe, Andy Campbell, Julie Detbarn, Arthur Sprurling, Iain Campbell, Brian Connolly, William Grant, Alec Clark, Ian Fitzsimmons and Peter Henderson all hiding while our air show was being slowly kicked to death?
Even the refreshingly unconstrained Laura Brennan-Whitefield appeared muzzled.
And as for Messrs Campbell and McGinley . . . well, sometimes words fail even me.
Remember when all of the above put leaflets through your door promising to do their very best for South Ayrshire?
Could they raise an objection to what was obviously unfolding before their eyes – and over several months? No. Combined . . they couldn’t even raise a whimper.
Last Friday’s execution of the 2020 Air Show was a shameful day for South Ayrshire’s councillors.
What’s even more shameful is that deep down in what’s left of their conscience . . . they know it!
The organisers did nothing they haven’t done before