CRISIS talks have been taking place this week in a bid to prevent the closure of the St Patrick Visitor Centre in Downpatrick.
Directors of the centre have been meeting with auditors following Down Council’s decision to cut for the second year the grant it provides the centre.
The Down Recorder understands the talks have included discussions on the possible winding up of the company which is under considerable financial pressure as a result of the council cuts.
Last week councillors agreed to cut the £135,000 grant to the centre by £10,000 and to order the repayment of £10,000 of a £100,000 loan given to the centre when it first opened 11 years ago.
Last year the council imposed a £15,000 cut in the grant resulting in the redundancy of a member of staff at the centre. The result of all the cuts is the council grant has fallen by almost 30 per cent in just two years.
There is considerable anger within the management board of the St. Patrick Centre because the cuts took place without any negotiation. It is understood the council made the decision after a series of internal meetings which did not involve anyone from the St. Patrick Centre.
Councillors approved the cuts at their monthly meeting last Monday and Centre officials learned of the grant reductions in last week’s Down Recorder.
In a further blow to the centre, on Monday night thieves made off with thousands of pounds worth of copper cladding from the side of the iconic building.
The St. Patrick Centre managers declined to comment on the closure threat however, a source told the Recorder the situation is “very difficult.”
“The council decision, taken without any discussion with us, has left the centre on the brink of closure,” he said. “It is ironic that in the week that Northern Ireland is on the world-stage with the opening of the Titanic centre, Down District’s only international visitor attraction is effectively being closed by Down Council.”
The source said there is anger because the council is not imposing similar levels of cutbacks on its two comparable centres — Down County Museum and Down Arts Centre.
“The St. Patrick Centre costs the council £135,000 a year and last year attracted over 70,000 visitors to the area. The other two centres cost the ratepayers over £1m and they didn’t attract anywhere near the same numbers of people.”
Last month the St. Patrick Centre secured the first visit to Down District of the new Irish President, Michael D. Higgins, for the inaugural St. Patrick’s Dinner in Montalto. The event, which was sponsored by a prominent firm, was also attended by the First and Deputy First Ministers, Peter Robinson and Martin Magennis, and a large number of prominent Northern Ireland businessmen.
A spokeswoman for Down Council said: “Negotiations with the Council, the Director and the Board of the St Patrick’s Visitor Centre are ongoing, with the intent of establishing a service level agreement, that whilst being affordable ensures the continued viability and sustainability of the St Patrick Centre.”