Council bosses this week admitted the future of Irvine’s giant TV is in doubt - more than a year after it went on the blink.
The big screen in Bridgegate was unveiled as the centrepiece of a £2.2m town centre regeneration programme carried out by Irvine Bay and North Ayrshire Council in 2014.
It was used to publicise community events and businesses and evolved to show movies and sporting events including the 2014 Commonwealth Games and football World Cup in Brazil.
One lovebird even used it to make an on-screen proposal to his girlfriend.
But the plug was pulled on it last year due to technical problems and this week its operators admitted there is no cash to get it back up and running.
Council bosses this week revealed that they and the Ayrshire Community Trust, who ran the Town Centre TV project, are reviewing the future viability of the 33sqm LED screen.
But the Trust’s John Edgar said there are no plans to bring it back online any time soon.
“The big reason for that is there is no funding available, said John.
“We ran into a number of difficulties over the years. My team was charged with creating content for the TV including selling ad plans, which didn’t go so well.
“It’s also a risk to health and safety. No one can get behind the screen to fix the panels as there is a number of dead birds behind the screen. It’s a real shame.”
The screen was bought with the help of funding from the Scottish Government. At the time Patrick Wiggins, chief executive of the now defunct Irvine Bay Regeneration Company, said it would “bring life, colour, and people into Irvine town centre and in doing so provide local businesses with opportunities.”
This week a spokesman for North Ayrshire Council said:“Following the conclusion of the operator’s contract, the council and the Ayrshire Community Trust are reviewing the future viability of the screen.
“We will also be looking at alternative ways of making content available digitally in the local area.”
