Montrose Air Station Heritage Centre has cancelled one of the town’s major summer attractions.

The centre’s decision not to run its Wings And Wheels Extravaganza less than a fortnight after it secured substantial financial support from the town’s common good fund has caused anger among the community council and disappointed at least two of the town’s representatives on Angus Council.

It all started off amicably and in a spirit of support earlier this month at a specially convened meeting of Montrose community council when there was wholehearted support for Angus Council’s proposal that the Montrose and Brechin common good funds each guarantee a contribution of £12,000 towards employing a full-time marketing manager for the air station and the Caledonian Railway in Brechin.

The guarantees were required to access European and other funding.

Kathleen Ritchie, chairwoman of the heritage trust which runs the centre, has said the cancellation of the extravaganza was due to the delay in granting of funding for the marketing post and on-going work at the centre.

She said, “It is a bit of a disappointment and it will cost us financially but there is no point in doing it when we’re so busy with other projects.”

But an assurance that an event on a smaller scale will still go ahead failed to placate councillors.

Community councillor John Dempster said, “Part of their argument for common good backing was that they bring visitors to the town.

“For them to get the money and then cancel a major fund-raiser which attracts thousands to the town is very disappointing.

“They said that one of the reasons for the cancellation was the delay in the granting of funding and the resulting delay in the appointment of a marking manager. The common good funding was fast tracked—it could not have been done quicker.

“They have managed to run the extravaganza every year before without a marketing manager.”

Angus councillor Terry Wood said, “It would not be correct to say a delay in common good funding caused it. There was no delay—the extravaganza must have been cancelled well in advance.”

Councillor Mark Salmond said he would be asking Angus economic development department if it could give more details on events.