A popular mobile cinema's trips to Cumbrae have been stopped due to access issues - but the operators have told the News that they are hopeful of returning in the future.
There was considerable disappointment expressed in Millport that it is one of seven locations across remote and rural Scotland that won't be visited by the new cinema vehicle.
The hugely popular Screen Machine has brought Star Wars, Top Gun and many more classic movies to Cumbrae on its travels around the Highlands and Islands.
The cinema is an 80-seat air-conditioned, digital mobile cinema service that has been bringing the latest films to over 40 communities of the Highlands and Islands of Scotland since 1998.
It is owned and operated by Regional Screen Scotland (RSS), a company limited by guarantee with charitable status which aims to enable more people in more places to share great screen experiences.
However, RSS has revealed that it has now had to secure the lease of a French Cinémobile vehicle, following a series of mechanical issues with the current ageing Screen Machine - and that the new mobile cinema cannot properly access the island.
The new vehicle has slightly different designs and dimensions to the one it is replacing, meaning it will be unable to use certain piers and roads.
A spokesperson for the Screen Machine said: "I completely understand the disappointment, and the team here is also very disappointed that there are seven islands that the Cinemobile will not be able to reach. Plus there are two further locations that it may not be able to reach (Tighnabruaich and Bunessan on the Isle of Mull) – we’ll know more when our senior operator has had a change to reach these and complete a risk assessment.
"The Cinemobile has different dimensions to the current Screen Machine (SM2), and it sits lower/closer to the ground. So it is unable to negotiate the slipway at Cumbrae. SM2 was designed specifically for the Highlands and Islands, and has a chassis roller built in to the back to facilitate getting on and off ferries and up slipways. But Cinemobile does not have this facility.
"We do not yet have a timescale for the development of a new Screen Machine, but we will be working on this and will communicate this to our Millport customers when we do have one. It is absolutely our intention that as soon as we are able to, we will return to Millport, and hopefully it will be next year.
"We have always received great support from our Millport customers.
"In the meantime, our Millport customers might like to consider writing to their MSP to express any disappointment about the temporary loss of this service.
"We welcome contact from any groups who are interested in finding out more about a possible hire. The should so my emailing info@regionalscrenscotland.org."
Councillor Todd Ferguson, who lives on the island, told the News that it was good to hear that the Screen Machine will be back in future.
He said: "It is disappointing but it is a relief to know that it is only temporary and hopefully it will return next year.
"There has been some talk on the island that the new Millport Town Hall could host movies and there is no doubt that the town hall is going to be a real asset to the local area so that would be good too if it could happen.
"While it disappointing that we are losing the Screen Machine, providing it is coming back with a new model in future, it is good to know that the service have every intention of returning to the island in future."
Largs Community Council recently discussed the possibility of trying to bring the Screen Machine to Largs, and has spoken to RSS on the subject.
An independent study carried out in 2019 found that the Screen Machine operation displaced three times as much carbon as its operation produced, because of the number of audience members who did not have to drive long distances to see the latest films.
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