‘Strongest case possible’ as Stone of Destiny consultation closes

Council leader Murray Lyle believes the local authority put forward “the strongest case possible” to bring the Stone of Destiny back to Perthshire after the consultation closed on Thursday.

The Scottish Government launched a six-week consultation in August to decide whether the crowning seat of Scottish kings should be returned to the Fair City, more than seven centuries after it was taken from nearby Scone.

The Courier joined the campaign to have the stone returned to its roots, where it will be used as a centrepiece in the new-look Perth City Hall.

Edinburgh, where the stone resides, has also put in its own bid to retain the artefact.

Mr Lyle thanked everyone who put in the time to share their views on why the stone should be returned to Perthshire.

He said: “We believe that we have put forward the strongest case possible for Perth and hope that we have proven our case that we have the knowledge and expertise to care for the Stone of Destiny.

“We want to tell the story of how Scotland was shaped by people, places and events uniquely associated with Perth and firmly believe that Scotland’s national heritage strategy is a powerful commitment to extending access to Scotland’s heritage beyond the Central Belt.

“In Perth, the Stone would be far more easily accessible to the wider population of Scotland and entry into the museum is free for everyone.”

It is believed that the stone could bring an extra quarter of a million visitors to the Fair City each year, generating £2.5 million for the local economy.