Stone destined to be city hall’s gem

Bringing the Stone of Destiny home to Perthshire would be the “big hook” that the city hall needs to be a success, councillor Willie Robertson has claimed.

“We really need the Stone of Scone back,” the Lib Dem councillor told a meeting of the full council which was hearing a progress report on the new cultural attraction.

The council’s head of culture, Fiona Robertson, had told the meeting that the artefact was “absolutely integral to the story were are trying to tell” but to make any assumptions that it will be moved from Edinburgh Castle would be “disrespectful”.

She said that ultimately the Stone of Destiny belonged to the Queen but that discussions were being carried out with the relevant bodies in an effort to have it brought to Perth.

SNP councillor Eric Drysdale asked if they failed in their bid to bring the stone to the city hall would it “drive a coach and horses” through the projected visitor numbers.

Ms Robertson said they were confident they had expressed a “compelling case” for the return of the stone but they believed the majority of visitors would still come to Perth. Around 20,000 fewer visitors might attend if the stone wasn’t involved, she estimated.

The meeting heard that unlike Edinburgh Castle, the Stone of Destiny would be free to view if it were on display in Perth City Hall.

We really need the Stone of Scone back. COUNCILLOR WILLIE ROBERTSON