The West Kilbride Barony Centre is ahead of the game as a craft town centre of excellence and is already fully booked up with exhibitions until the end of 2015.

Kay Hall, the Chair of Craft Town Scotland, and the West Kilbride Initiative, said this week that the future is bright since the recent streamlining behind the scenes which has resulted in the Craft Town and Initiative separating into two separate bodies.

Mrs Hall explained: “The separation allows for all the assets to stay with the Initiative which is now the landlord of the properties. We have similar aims and objectives. It is still part of the initiative, a company limited by shares, and the shares are 100% owned by the Initiative.

The community “If Craft Town Scotland was ever to move on, and I don’t see that happening, it means that we would still be responsible for these assets and we could then look at how these assets could be used within the community. It provides security, and stops them from being vulnerable. We are both charities, so it means that we can both apply for funds.” One of the latest fundraising projects is to get the old steeple clock back up and running, but time has certainly not stood still for the fast moving development in the town centre.

The Barony Centre opened two years ago, but the Initiative had purchased the building back in 2000.

Mrs Hall said: “It is now very multi-faceted and can be used by all sorts of community groups. We have just had a group of four year olds in being introduced to real clay for the first time. The whole building is designed to maximise on various elements of the craft town, and bring a wider range of exhibitions. And in the upstairs area, we can have a lot of creative activities. We are now seen as a leading venue within Scotland to exhibit craft, and venues of that particular ilk are diminishing.” Mrs Hall praised the fantastic volunteer base, and the hard work of the committee and directors of both groups in making the Barony Centre and West Kilbride Craft Town recognised nationally, and even internationally.

Upcoming events include Scottish Potters, who are celebrating their 40th anniversary with a ceramics clay workshop, and an archive exhibition history of ceramics. There will also be an exhibition of renowned basketmakers who first came together through a workshop at the Barony.

There is also ‘Silver of the Stars’ event - with Marianne Kay, a sliversmith who has commissioned a silver set for Scotland’s famous film star Ewen McGregor, who has been photographed on his motorbike with the silver coffee pot.

Mrs Hall said: “It is a very prestigious exhibition and they actively wanted to come, we didn’t have to go and ask them.” “It is exciting times, and we are on the map, and there is a demand for what we are doing.” She added: “With the village hall, and community centre, two other good examples of community ownership, West Kilbride is leading the way. Some other communities would baulk at what we have done, and achieved, and with the sports group doing marvellous work at the Glen, the village’s future is looking promising.”