Hansard

I thank Liz Smith for bringing the debate to the Parliament. Some members may not be aware that I worked in the fair city of Perth for a number of years, so I am only too aware of its thriving arts, culture and entertainment scene. There is much to commend in Perth’s bid to become UK city of culture 2021. However, in this week of all weeks, I will paraphrase the “Star Wars” saga by saying, “There is another.” That town is the town of Paisley, which on 13 November this year launched its bid in Paisley’s historic abbey. Perth may be the heart of Scotland, but the great town of Paisley is the centre of the known universe and its buddies have their eye on the prize.

It is interesting that Willie Rennie seems to have forgotten the university years that he spent in the great town of Paisley—he may not find himself a pint in the student union when he goes back to any alumni events at the University of the West of Scotland.

The two bids have many similarities. When we look at Liz Smith’s motion, we see that redevelopment and regeneration are a major part of Perth’s bid, and the bid from Paisley—with its museum and various venues—is the same.

Redevelopment and regeneration are, for me, the most important part of any bid, because they have to do with what actually comes out of a bid—its legacy is the most important aspect. A successful bid would create the capital investment to ensure that Paisley has the capacity to have such an event. I am aware of Perth’s concert hall because I have been there for various party conferences—although not recently, because the membership has become a wee bit too large now. We all miss going to Perth for conference, but Paisley has many venues too, including Paisley town hall, the abbey—which is also now being used as an arts venue—and the arts centre. They demonstrate Paisley’s history and legacy and the importance of Paisley to Scotland in general.

We lack one major piece of capital investment. I am talking about a cinema and performance area, and the Paisley 2021 Community Trust plans to create a £40 million cinema and performing arts centre in the heart of Paisley—a 500-seat main theatre, five cinema screens, a cafe, a bar and a restaurant. That is on the back of work on the bid as well. The trust is using the model of the Glasgow Film Theatre. The screen machine, which normally goes around rural areas, was in Paisley County Square yesterday, showing “It’s a Wonderful Life”. I did not go to see it, because Stacey and I tend to leave that for a wee greet on Christmas eve, but it was good to see kids and everybody back in the heart of the town instead of at some out-of-town cinema and shopping centre.

As we have all said, any bid needs to ensure that it has public backing—it has to be owned by the people in the town. Our local newspaper, the Paisley Daily Express, has urged all buddies to back the bid by running a social media campaign using #WhyILovePaisley. We all know that I tend to come here just to say that, but I have been taking to social media to do it as well. What is not to love about Paisley, its history and the bid? What is not to love about the people and their passion for life or about what we have given the world, historically and culturally, from David Tennant to Gerard Butler, from Gerry Rafferty to John Byrne, from the weaver poet Robert Tannahill to the Rev John Witherspoon, who signed the American declaration of independence, and of course the world-famous Paisley pattern? All those things will be part of the bid that Paisley is pushing forward.

Regardless of who is successful in 2017 in bidding to become 2021 UK city of culture, I believe that the most important thing is regeneration. From looking at previous bids, it seems that that was the case for Derry and Hull—their bids were about what they could show for the future. Two of Scotland’s great towns are bidding to become the UK city of culture. I wish Perth every success in its journey during the bidding process but, for me, the best option will always be the great town of Paisley. Watch this space and, as Benjamin Disraeli said,

“keep your eye on Paisley.”