Largs - Viking Fair is coming to seafront for Norse extravaganza

A meeting of Largs Community Council (LCC) heard this week that there had been speculation the annual attraction - based in the town's seafront car park for the duration of the event - might not be coinciding with the Largs Viking Festival, or might not be coming at all.

The fair is run independently of the festival.

Community councillor Patricia Perman told LCC's latest meeting: "I was at a meeting of the civil resilience group in Largs, and we were talking about the Viking Festival - and we weren't sure if the fair was going to be on at the same time as the Viking Festival this year."

Viking Fair (Image: Newsquest)

Conservative councillor Tom Marshall said: "The Viking Fair will be coming this year - whether you like it or not. It is good news for the town.

"The big Ferris Wheel is not coming as the owners cannot get their chosen site this year due to the prom improvement works."

His North Coast colleague, independent councillor Ian Murdoch, added: "The fair will be here for the Viking Festival - we have already agreed it will be here.

"I am glad that the Viking Fair is coming, because at least we know that the seafront car park will be getting a guaranteed income - whereas at the moment we are letting cars go out of the car park for free, because of the continual problems with the seafront car park barrier.

"At least it is a guaranteed £6,000 for the seafront car park fund."

Patricia Perman was pleased to hear Viking Fair is going ahead after concerns raised at resilience meeting (Image: Newsquest)

Ms Perman said: "That is good to know that the Viking Festival is coming as there had been some doubt about it."

Cllr Murdoch responded: "I will always be on the case with the seafront car park - I am hoping it will maybe go to pay and display with number plate recognition in future."

LCC chairman Jim Phillips said: "Anything has got to be better than the current system that they have at the seafront car park barrier as it is shambolic."

Cllr Ian Murdoch (Image: Newsquest)

Ms Perman added that there was a paid employee now who works at the seafront car park on weekends in case the barrier doesn't work or the number plates are not recognised.

Cllr Murdoch responded: "This came about as I was complaining on a daily basis about the situation and there is currently a review of the seafront car park being undertaken.

Car park barrier issue has seen financial income being lost to local projects (Image: Ian Murdoch)

"The problem is that we are borrowing £300,000 against the future income of the seafront car park to refurbish the toilets over a 20-year loan and we are letting hundreds, if not thousands, of pounds drive out the gate every day. It is bonkers."