Hotel sales decades ago fund Lanark park projects

A CHARITY set up with funds from the sale of Scottish hotels, including the Clydesdale and Caledonian in Lanark, is helping two of the town’s voluntary groups.
By Helen McCall
Published 26th Jun 2014, 08:00 BST
Cheque this...Isobel Watson (left) of the playpark action group and Sylvia Russell (right) of the trust restoring Castlebank in Lanark, receive cheques from Margaret Seymour. (Pic Alan Watson)Cheque this...Isobel Watson (left) of the playpark action group and Sylvia Russell (right) of the trust restoring Castlebank in Lanark, receive cheques from Margaret Seymour. (Pic Alan Watson)
Cheque this...Isobel Watson (left) of the playpark action group and Sylvia Russell (right) of the trust restoring Castlebank in Lanark, receive cheques from Margaret Seymour. (Pic Alan Watson)

The Western Recreation Trust has given £1000 to the Playparks Group and £2000 to the Development Trust restoring Castlebank Park.

The Recreation Trust was set up in 1973, when the hotels – including three in Arran, and others in Girvan, East Kilbride and Killearn – held by a brewery chain were sold.

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The Trustees have quite wide discretion in what they support but the Trust Deed suggests they should have special regard to recreation projects “which tend to diminish in the community undue consumption of alcohol”.

Lanark trustee Margaret Seymour felt that was “quaintly” put! “My understanding is that there was a feeling there was too much drinking and not enough other activities,” she said.

“They were philanthropic enough to encourage people to do other things.”

For more on this, pick up a copy of this week’s Carluke and Lanark Gazette.

Related topics:Clydesdale