Friday, March 04, 2016

Massive cash bonanza for Inverness Art Gallery and Museum - any chance of a wee hand-out for Nairn then?

According to the BBC: 

"Councillors have approved a plan to improve the appearance of a prefabricated concrete building in Inverness by covering it with metal.

The £500,000 cost of the work to Inverness Museum and Art Gallery would be met from £3m of funding provided by the UK government.

The building's front and side is to be clad in aluminium.

The light sandstone-coloured anodised, perforated aluminium would feature a map of the city.

The museum, which is operated by High Life Highland, is in the city centre next to the Inverness Town House and Inverness Castle." More here.

One of our regular readers is less then impressed with this latest lorry load of cash heading for the Highland capital and told us:

"Half a million pounds to facelift the Inverness Museum - a building which is relatively modern, structurally sound, well furnished and equipped, and is owned by Highland Council and managed by HighLife Highland. 

The other £2.5 million is to be spent on "upgrading the grounds of Inverness Castle and creating free public access wifi for the city".

Meanwhile the Nairn Museum is housed in an elderly Victorian building with serious issues. It is also owned by Highland Council (who ought therefore to be maintaining it), and run by a board made up of volunteers who have to look to charitable donors and fundraising efforts to pay the bills. What could they do with a fraction of that half-a-million?

Moreover, while preparing to spend huge sums on tarting up Inverness Castle grounds (which are hardly derelict!), Highland Council is simultaneously cutting back substantially on the maintenance of public amenity areas like the Links and Viewfield, claims it cannot afford to replace the paddling pool, and is reducing or giving up the provision of floral planting in public spaces in Nairn and in other towns around the Highlands. As for wifi, while Inverness is to be provided with a free public wifi network, parts of Nairn still haven't got superfast broadband."

There you are folks, thoughts for a dreich Friday afternoon. Have good weekend. 

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Have they applied? The local Councillors will give them full support.

Anonymous said...

I hope that they see fit to put a big sign on the building saying 'improvements funded by the UK Government'.

Graisg said...

Not aware of the Nairn Show getting that amount anon, could you give a source for that information please and then we will publish your comment.

Anonymous said...

Quote from Nairnshire Telegraph, 1 Mar 2016: The accounts (Nairnshire Farming Society) reflect a substantial donation of £45,000 from The Davidson Trust. Mr MacArthur commented: "This year we are indebted to the Davidson Trust for their handsome donation to the Society of £45,000 which was used to purchase a substantial quantity of livestock gates and equipment for the running of our Annual Show".

Interesting to note that they retain £36,681 in the bank, also reported in the Telegraph.

Anonymous said...

be better putting the dosh into a drainage system at Grant Street

Graisg said...

Fair dues anon re £45K, here's your previous comment - yes a fair sub to the show.

"I totally agree. Nairn needs more funding. Maybe the next time the Davidson Trust is handing out £45,000 it could give it to our museum, which is of use to everyone in Nairn for much of the year, instead of the Nairn Show which only serves one day, a few people and a lot of farmers."

Anonymous said...

Davidson Trust.....hang your head in shame......the museum, riverside above the road bridge to firhall bridge. Just a couple if places that should have been given funding. why does the farmers show need funding?

Foo Ya Deein said...

The Davidson Trust are awfa feel given aw that money tae the farmers who I seem tae drive in awful muckle fancy machines which must cost a few bob & there I gurning that thae have nae money whit utter sharn, the money would have been better spent on our Toon which is no looking awfae bonnie at the moment, the High Street is just like a midden, fit the visitors must think I just dinna ken, it canna be guid. The Twa minute Silence Editor is on The Davidson Trust so I suppose he kens fits gaun on, Ach I must get in touch we The Trust & see if they wid give me a sub tae spend on having a new cludgie as its awfae cauld ganging tae the byre for a you ken what.

Aw the best Folkies

Anonymous said...

spending hauf a million on shite like this when there are so many cut backs,folk having to use food banks,council adopted roads full of potholes,wasting money on museums,who cares about old crap,close them down and use the money on better things
a moaner.

Anonymous said...

Farmers Show gets enough at the gate and definitely should not be getting money from Davidson trust,
how can that be " for the good of the people of Nairn" which was what the trust was given for. Please use the money for Nairn town, not farmers if they want to put on a show they should pay for it themselves. I have not been since it moved to Auldearn and that revelation means they won't be getting anymore of my hard earned cash, if you ve been once you don't really need to go again anyway.
How much is it to get in these day's? £10 far too much.
Give the money they have left over back to Nairn.

Y Cotter said...

Please note Nairn Museum's roof is not actually leaking.

Graisg said...

@ Y Cotter, thank you attended to