The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Film star at festival and museum is a hit
PERTH MUSEUM PROVES A HIT
The new Perth Museum has already welcomed 40,000 people through its doors.
More than 3,000 people visited the
£27 million museum in the refurbished Perth City Hall on its first day.
Perth Museum chiefs say the visitor numbers are “astonishing” and hope local people and businesses are also beginning to enjoy the benefits.
The museum, the new permanent home of the Stone of Destiny, has an annual visitor target of 140-160,000 by 2027.
Early reports on Tripadvisor are also positives.
MILLION TONNES OF SAND TO BE DUMPED ON MONTROSE BEACH
A mountain of sand totalling more than a million tonnes could be added to Montrose beach in the next decade to protect the town from the North Sea.
The staggering figure has emerged as part of a long-term strategy to halt erosion which has claimed seven metres of dunes in the last year alone.
Experts warn flood corridors could engulf Montrose within the next 30 or 40 years, if nothing is done.
And the start gun has now been fired on the next stage of the battle ahead of this winter’s storms.
It includes the longerterm plan to replenish the dunes.
The sand sourced and is still being would be brought to Montrose Bay by barge or dredger.
It would then be pumped on to the beach roundthe-clock. No definite beach access has b e e n identified at this stage.
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE STAR HEADING TO KIRKCALDY
Mission: Impossible star Dougray Scott is headlining this year’s Adam Smith Festival in Kirkcaldy.
The Glenrothes-born actor will be in conversation with Arabella Weir at St Bryce Kirk on June 7.
He led this year’s Tartan Day Parade through the streets of New York on April 6.
His appearance in Kirkcaldy sees him join the ranks of previous festival headliners David Tennant, Joanna Lumley and former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan.
T h e 58-year-old h a s appeared in several films, including Ripley’s Game, Hitman and
My Week With Marilyn.
Dougray Scott is also the recipient of an international Emmy for his performance in the Scottish drama series Crime.
The actor‘s 7.30pm chat with actress and comedian Weir is one of several events organised by the Adam Smith Festival that weekend.
OLYMPIA DUNDEE REOPENING PLANS CONFIRMED
Plans have been revealed for the reopening of the leisure and toddler pools at Dundee’s Olympia centre after the latest three-month closure.
The leisure and toddler pools, including the flumes, have been shut since early February.
The facilities closed – less than two months after they had reopened following a £6 million repair job – when a metal rod fell and nearly hit swimmers.
It has now been confirmed the Olympia’s leisure pool, toddler pool and flumes will reopen on May 6.
Visitors will need to book one-hour slots for the first few weeks.
The announcement came the day after councillors backed calls for an independent probe into the latest problems at the Olympia.
The approval means the local authority will now seek an independent expert to engage with the body that runs the facility to understand the problems that led to its most recent closure.
UK’S FIRST EVER MEMORIAL TO LGBT ARMED FORCES PERSONNEL
The first ever memorial for LGBT people who have served in the armed forces will be created.
It follows a review into mistreatment of service personnel historically. Fighting with Pride, a LGBT veterans charity, has been awarded a £350,000 grant to create the memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.
The charity has spearheaded efforts to get justice for veterans affected by the pre-2000 ban on homosexuality in the armed forces. It said the memorial will be “representative” and a “place for peace and reflection”, but urged the government to move quickly on other steps to make amends.
The ban saw thousands of members of the armed forces removed from service, some faced violence and abuse as a result of their sexuality..
The Moody Blues founder Mike Pinder has been remembered as a “great cosmic philosopher” following his death at the age of 82.
The Birmingham-based rock band, famous for hits such as Nights In White Satin, Go Now, Question and Tuesday Afternoon, was created by Ray Thomas, Denny Laine, Graeme Edge, Clint Warwick and Pinder in 1964.
In a statement on Facebook on behalf of the late musician’s family, former band member John Lodge announced that keyboardist Pinder died on Wednesday at his home in California.
He said: “Michael’s family would like to share with his trusted friends and caring fans that he passed peacefully. His final days were filled with music, encircled by the love of his family.
“Michael lived his life with a childlike wonder, walking a deeply introspective path which fused the mind and the heart. He created his music and the message he shared with the world from this spiritually grounded place; as he always said, ‘Keep your head above the clouds, but keep your feet on the ground’.
“His authentic essence lifted up everyone who came into contact with him. His lyrics, philosophy, and vision of humanity and our place in the cosmos will touch generations to come.”
Born in Birmingham, Pinder contributed to the band’s music throughout the 1960s and 1970s including their first album The Magnificent Moodies and the 1978 record Octave.
He would leave the band during the 1970s and release solo albums The Promise in 1976 and 1994’s Among The Stars.
The band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2018.
American musician Al Jardine wrote on Instagram: “Very sad to hear of the passing of Mike Pinder, who was an original founding member of the Moody Blues and created the most amazing pocket orchestras with his Mellotron. I love Days of Future Passed and will always remember Mike as the Mellotron Man and great cosmic philosopher. Mary Ann and I send our condolences to his lovely wife Tara & family, friends and fans everywhere.
“RIP Mike... among the stars.”
Drummer Edge died aged 80 in 2021, while singer Thomas died at the age of 76 in 2018 and bassist Warwick died in 2004 aged 63.
Laine, who co-founded Wings which featured Beatles star Sir Paul McCartney, died aged 79 in December following a battle with lung disease.
Guitarist Justin Hayward and Yes keyboardist Patrick Moraz are also among those who later joined the band.