Two years on and town is still waiting to '˜GO'

The Go Glerothes group is confident 2017 will prove to be more productive.

A group given public money to promote Glenrothes as go-to destination insists it WILL deliver on its promise despite having only organised one event since it was formed over two years ago.

The Go-Glenrothes initiative, which Fife Council provided £50,000 of funding to in late 2014, still has no dedicated website and is operating with a Facebook page with just 55 followers.

And with no public events having taken place in the town it was supposed to be promoting since the Johnny Cash Art Competition back in March 2016, the Gazette has called on those involved to explain just when Glenrothes can expect to see results.

“We all share the same frustration that progress seems to take much longer than expected,” explained Glenrothes councillor Altany Craik, the Fife authority’s elected representative on the Go-Glenrothes committee.

“However the team remain focused on putting Glenrothes on the map and are excited about the events coming forward.”

The group has been continuing without a permanent chairman since the resignation of previous chairman Leslie Bain, who walked out in October last year.

But Cllr Craik is confident a new person to take on the role, the third in two years, will give the group a renewed focus to finally start delivering in 2017.

“Michael Mowatt, of Men’s Shed fame, has agreed to be the chairman of Go-Glenrothes and his work with Dovecot Bowling club, the Sports Council and Our Place Auchmuty makes him well placed to keep a focus on the community we serve,” explained the councillor.

“We are using the talents and strengths of the group members to work with others to deliver for Glenrothes.”

The group says it will finally have their website completed by mid-March and now has a number of exciting projects that it is involved in.

‘The last year has been one of transition for Go-Glenrothes, but this year will be helping to promote the return of the comedy festival in April, Glenrothes’ own comic convention - and a science festival in June, as well as a car show in August,” said the councillor.

A historic DVD to coincide with the town’s 70th anniversary in 2018 has also now been commissioned.

“The good news is that hardly any of the funding has been used and, with the programme we now have for this year, I believe we can build that head of steam to make Go-Glenrothes a success.”