The last ever Largs Provost from the old Town Council days paid a visit to the town's museum recently.

 

David Beattie, who served in the top role from 1974-75, enjoyed his stint in charge of the town, and was also a member of the town council for several years before that.

 

Largs was set up as a burgh council in the 1876, and a new Provost was appointed every year, with the town council looking after all the local affairs, with its own baillies, burgh surveyors, and council officials, all based in the local area.

 

David said: "When I became the Provost, I was the local ratepayers association one and only candidate. Sean Murphy was the SNP Leader and he had three candidates, but Conservative Dan Doris got a hold of me and said vote for us, and you will be the Provost, and it was done and dusted. The SNP walked out as a result.

 

"We all then went along to the Marine and Curlinghall in Largs and had a very nice meal."

 

David, who now lives between Bearsden and Barrhead, started working at Hunterston, and lived in Largs for twelve years. He believed that the it made sure local decision making was very accountable to the public at large in Largs!

 

He said: "You were very personally involved and you would be stopped in the middle of the street and given a rocket if there was an unpopular decision.

 

"They all go to Irvine for their meetings now. We had a police court in Largs, we didn't have any carpet, it was only wood, and your feet would bounce up and down!

 

"We had good meetings at Moorburn Chambers in the evenings, at around 7pm, which was another advantage as you could get home from work before attending."

 

David was the convenor when the swimming pool was introduced to Largs in 1971. and also recalls when the hovercraft first came to Largs, and unsurprisingly, it created controversy.

 

He said: "They finally got rid of the hovercraft. There was Frank Roche's zoo and they said that the hovercraft had killed off one of the inhabitants of the zoo, and that was one of the reasons why they got rid of the hovercraft, as well as the noise which was also complained about. Frank claimed it killed off his chameleon in the zoo."

 

David recalled that Nardini's and the Moorings were two big booming businesses in Largs.

 

And in 2017, over forty years after serving Largs as Provost, the 'News' pointed out that parking was still a problem in the town after all these years, and was asked for his view.

 

He said: "Parking is a problem wherever you go. There is not much you can do but tolerate it. A multi story car park might work in the summer, but it might not work in the winter as it wouldn't be as busy."

 

David presided over the last ever meeting of the Town Council in 1975. The 'News' reported at the time: "Provost Beattie spoke of the changes which had taken place in 99 years. He instanced the electrification of the town, the sacrifices Largs men had made in the wards and the take-over of the motor car."

 

He also paid tribute to the officials in his final year who included Mr John Young, town clerk, George Rich, burgh surveyor, William Ross, chamberlain, Robert Hill, housing factor, and Robert Dobie, parks superintendent, treasurer William Donald, and Bailie White.