Kilbirnie Town Centre Management Initiative

 Office Bearers    Christine Johnstone – Chair
                          Elizabeth Johnstone – Secretary
                          Joan Perry - Treasurer & Events Organiser

2009 Christmas Festival Program announced.  The Christmas Festival is on the Saturday 28 ^th  of November. Santa will be in the Library from10am and Santa’s Parade leaves from the Library at 5pm. There are craft & various organisations with stalls in the Walker Hall, Radio City and The Community Centre and they will all be open to the public from 2pm.The Starlight Road Show will be in the street at the usual spot outside the opticians. We have the junior choir and band from the Academy and we also have the Moorpark Primary School choir singing. We are still finalising with the other schools what they will be doing. Main Street   car park will have a small fair and stalls for the younger children to take part in. Pre Booking for Santa is again possible and people can collect a form from the Library.

Originally setup in 2000 following a series of public meetings called by local councillor John Bell, the group held a series of successful Christmas events and had taken a lead in the delivery of town centre improvement works. The group had lost momentum until a campaign to replace the original Christmas lights in 2006 breathed new life into the group. Anne McPherson took over as chair of the group in 2007 and the group has embarked on a very successful fund raising effort. The Committee have raised funds with collecting cans in local shops, car boot sales with the help of Tesco, and  J and D Pierce have made a major donation which in itself will provide the town with superb lights this Christmas. Anne McPhersons team have secured further £1500 from WJ Knox and over £900 from the public collections meaning a current total of over £4000 for next years display. So with the continued fundraising we will have a spectacular display in the next few years. 2007s Christmas Events were held on Saturday 24th November when the lights were switched on at 5:45pm by  Jim and Ann Pierce.

Background

The group was set up in September 2000 after meetings between the leading members of the local business community,  Cllr John Bell and Anne Rae of North Ayrshire Councils Development and Promotions Team . The aim of the group is to work to promote Kilbirnie and to look at ways of improving the Town Centre both as a place to live and   to do business.

The groups first target was to hold a Christmas evening which took place on 30th November 2000 where approximately 600 people gathered at the Town centre to celebrate the return of the annual Christmas Tree to Kilbirnie Cross. A successful nights trading followed and other successful events were held in 2001 and 2002. The group discussed environmental improvements to the town and working with the council provided improved planters and benches in the town centre. The group were also involved in securing the work for environmental improvements at Bridge Street and at the War Memorial.

                    Christmas 2000                                    Christmas 2001                                    Christmas 2002                      Christmas 2003