Council chairman 'cancels Christmas'

Over 500,000 people visit the causeway every year

A council chairman has "cancelled Christmas" for his colleagues because of a decision they made over the future of the visitor's centre at the Giant's Causeway.

Randal McDonnell is still smarting from a vote taken by Moyle District Council in north Antrim rejecting two plans to develop the site.

Mr McDonnell withdrew the offer of a traditional Christmas meal and told councillors they could arrange a party on their own.

Moyle District Council scrapped plans to sell off the County Antrim centre in the face of two multi-million pound re-development projects.

No grants available

It had been in a quandary over the centre, even before a fire destroyed the old permanent building at the site last April.

There is nothing to celebrate. I find the whole thing horrendous

Randal McDonnell, Council Chairman

Though fully insured, a proper replacement building would have to be much bigger to cope with an estimated 500,000 visitors each year.

But the council decided financing such a scheme by itself was impossible and no grants were available.

Mr McDonnell criticised newspaper reports which branded him a "Scrooge".

"I would have thought that in the days of Yasser Arafat, Patsy Bin Laden, O'Loan and Flanagan eating the beak of each other and the cat having kittens that there would be something else to put on the front page of the newspaper," he said.

Decision

"It looks to me as if the council are more interested in getting their Christmas dinner than solving the Giant's Causeway visitors' centre affair.

"We are trying to get the centre rebuilt and we made a decision last week that to my mind has a horrifying impact for the future."

Randal McDonnell: "Fairy godmother sent away"

He said he was "Scrooging about the place" trying to save money to pay for rates which would be adversely affected by the decision.

The chairman of the council traditionally pays for Christmas dinner for the councillors.

However, Mr McDonnell said: "There is nothing to celebrate. I find the whole thing horrendous. I find it distressing and I find it improper.

Financial problems

"I am going to very severely mark my disapproval of the council's conduct - that is how it is.

"I would have footed the bill for the Christmas dinner - as I am required to do. You do not get this money out of council corporate hospitality, it is an entirely private dinner.

The previous centre was destroyed by fire in 2000

"But I don't feel that this year I am in a position to provide it this year in view of the financial problems that are going to come upon us by this absolutely daft decision."

The chairman said Moyle was "a Christmas-free zone".

"The fairy godmother who came and said she would give us a £10m facility and a lump sum has been sent away and told to mind her own business."

In July, the council opted to put the site which is at the entrance to the Giant's Causeway, on the market.

But behind closed doors in council chambers, bids from a private developer, Seaport Investments Ltd, and the National Trust failed to be considered.

Last month, the National Trust, which owns the natural stone phenomenon, revealed details of its plans for a state-of-the-art visitor centre with a price tag of between £8m and £10m.