South Ayrshire Council News

The profile of Ayr and South Ayrshire will be raised in May 2008 following the announcement by the Scottish Conservative Party that it will be holding its 2008 national conference at Ayr Racecourse.

Delegates will travel from all over Scotland to attend the two day conference on 23 and 24 May 2008.

After hearing the announcement Councillor Hugh Hunter, the Leader of South Ayrshire Council said: “This is great news that such a large conference is to be held in Ayr. Conferences of this nature are broadcast on television and radio and gain a lot of coverage in national and local press and this will raise the profile of South Ayrshire.

“I am sure that the fact that Ayr is so accessible by road, rail and air has been a contributory factor in it being selected as the conference destination. Very importantly the majority of delegates will need accommodation. This will increase business for bed and breakfast establishment and hotels, bringing a boost to the local economy in South Ayrshire. Those attending the conference will have some spare time and this will give them an opportunity to explore Ayr and the surrounding area.

“I would encourage the other major parties to consider holding their respective annual conferences in Ayr in future years. I would also encourage major companies to consider coming to Ayr for their annual meetings. We have the facilities and skills in Ayr to provide everything necessary for national conferences and most importantly of all, we have a highly skilled workforce in South Ayrshire who know how to make people feel welcome.”