THE PEOPLE of Perth and Kinross are being asked to turn out in force for a mass visit to the closure-threatened Cherrybank Gardens in Perth.

Councillor Willie Wilson called for a public show of strength on Easter Monday at 11am and yesterday pledged the council’s support in saving the much-loved centre.

“We want everyone who supports the gardens to turn up,” said Mr Wilson.

He was speaking after receiving a 3000-plus signature petition opposing the possible loss of the gardens.

The future of Cherrybank, which is home to Europe’s largest heather collection, was thrown into doubt following an unsuccessful lottery bid for the Calyx garden project.

It is due to close at the end of the month with the loss of 14 jobs, and the prospect of losing green space has caused anger.

“This petition represents the strength of feeling in Perth and the surrounding area about the closure of the gardens,” said Elizabeth Buyers, one of the petition organisers.

She thanked the many people, businesses and primary schools who had collected signatures, which are still coming in.

Receiving the petition on behalf of the council in his role as depute provost, Mr Wilson spoke of the council’s wish to avert closure.

“The council totally supports Perth and Kinross Leisure in their attempts, which are currently ongoing, to take over the running of the gardens,” he said.

Perth and Kinross Leisure is a not-for-profit company which runs leisure centres in the area.

Mr Wilson said the garden is an area of open space widely-used by locals and tourists, and with “therapeutic qualities.”

“It is a huge visitor attraction with over 25,000 visitors a year,” he said.

Also keen to see the facility saved for the future is Perth’s MSP, Roseanna Cunningham.

She said, “The failure of the Calyx project to win lottery funding was hugely disappointing to everyone involved, as well as to all of us who had been keen supporters of the project.

“I will be having a meeting shortly with representatives of the Calyx to discuss the future, including issues like job losses and what can be done to ensure that whatever is possible without the lottery money is not lost to Perthshire.

“I will certainly be making it clear that, whatever else happens, Cherrybank Gardens must be retained, preferably being passed on to Perth and Kinross Leisure in line with the conditions under which the garden was gifted to Scotland’s Garden Trust.

“It would be bizarre and quite wrong after all the hard work that has been done on the Calyx project if the outcome was to be a reduction in the recreational garden amenity for this part of Perth.”

The six-acre gardens—home to 50,000 plants representing 900 varieties of heathers—attract many admirers.

Originally known as Bell’s Cherrybank Gardens reflecting that it was founded with money from the whisky industry, it was gifted to the Scotland’s Garden Trust by drinks company Diageo PLC and the Arthur Bell Trust.