Nick Nairn to top bill on return of Paisley Food Festival
April 4, 2016CalmPoint Paisley & Renfrewshire
April 6, 2016Paisley’s bid for UK City of Culture 2021 has had another boost after the man who helped lead the step change in Glasgow’s image over the past 20 years joined the team.
Scott Taylor – until recently the chief executive of Glasgow City Marketing Bureau – is joining the Paisley 2021 team as a technical bid advisor.
He spent almost 20 years at the helm of various bodies promoting the city, culminating in the multi-award-winning brand People Make Glasgow.
Scott will be working with the Paisley 2021 team over the next year developing the bid, to be lodged with the UK Government’s Department for Culture Media and Sport in spring 2017.
Paisley’s UK City of Culture 2021 bid is taking place as part of a wider push to transform the town’s future using its unique cultural and heritage offering as the home of the Paisley Pattern and the one-time centre of the global textile industry
That includes the £56.7m plans to turn Paisley Museum into an international-class destination based around textiles and design.
Paisley 2021 Bid Director Jean Cameron said: “For us to be able to attract someone with Scott’s track record into our team just shows Paisley has momentum that people want to get on board with.
“Over the past few months we have connected with tens of thousands of people in person, on social media and at our events, and the local community are really making the bid their own.
“Scott will be helping the existing team show local, national and international audiences everything Paisley has to offer.
“And his experience of being on winning teams for massive international events such as the Commonwealth Games and the MTV Europe Music Awards will be an asset to us.”
Scott – who worked as a waiter at local hotels including Paisley’s Watermill Hotel, Erskine Crest Hotel and Excelsior Hotel at Glasgow Airport during his early days in the tourism industry – added: “I know first hand how important the Paisley 2021 bid will be in helping redefine how Paisley is regarded.
“We want to see a resurgence in visitors to the town and Renfrewshire, bringing employment opportunities, including the tourist industry. I am delighted to be joining the team during such a momentous period of change for the town.
“I’m for Paisley’s bid, and I can see the town has what it takes to take on the competition. This is the road to change and going for the bid itself will boost Paisley, Renfrewshire and Scotland.
“In a short space of time, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport has led the UK City of Culture competition, and in doing so, helped the transformation of previous winners – Derry-Londonderry and Hull – and we want it to be Paisley’s turn next.
“We know the impact that both the journey of the bid and winning the title can have in recharging Paisley and Renfrewshire – firing up pride and passion so we take our rightful place on the national and international stage.”
For more information on Paisley’s bid, visit www.paisley2021.co.uk and for more on the DCMS visit www.culture.gov.uk
