THINGS continue to be on the up for Ardrossan Castle Heritage Society, with plans for the future set to be laid out at public meeting next month.

Members of the Society were lucky enough to be able to climb to the top of the castle to enjoy the various views of Ardrossan recently.  After over a year, the scaffolding that had been visible around the castle has now been removed and the members are now looking into further ways to enhance the heritage of one of the town’s most famous sites.  On Tuesday, April 14 there will be a public meeting at the Church of the Nazerene on Glasgow Street to which all locals are invited to attend to hear from guest speakers, enjoy a slideshow of the castle and discuss the future as well as being updated about work that has been ongoing.

Doors will open at 6.30pm with a question and answer session after the event, with a break for tea and coffee in between.  Following the meeting, the AGM of the Society will take place and anyone who wishes to wait around is welcome to do so.  Among the future project the castle are looking at are funding to make the kitchen area, known locally as the arch, to be made safe like the rest of the castle ruins.  There are also plans in place for a ground penetration radar survey which is an X-ray type event that will be able to tell where is best to dig.

The money for this was provided by the Moffat Trust and the club are delighted to carry it out.  In the long term there are possible plans for a gate around the grounds, a recreational area, a visitors centre with a cafe through a link-up with the Nazerene church and a possible illumination of the castle itself.

These plans are years into the future but the Society say ‘If you don’t start it, it won’t happen.’  One event that is not too far into the future is an event at Ardrossan’s South Beach to celebrate the castle’s heritage which could celebrate the history as well as the medieval history.

Plans are underway for this to take place next summer.  There is also a castle booklet in production but there is no timescale for release of this yet.  For more information about the Society, their meetings take place on the first Tuesday of every month at Ardrossan Indoor Bowling Club at 7.30pm.