More than 2,000 people have visited a new social enterprise space in the heart of Ayr, giving an early boost to plans to transform a long-empty former toy shop into a hub for creativity and community projects.
Narture CIC has taken over the former Beatties Toy Shop on Newmarket Street. The premises had stood empty for more than a decade, after being a prominent feature in Ayr for over 30 years.
The social enterprise is developing the building as the Auld Toy Shop, a project focused on creativity, play, skills development and the regeneration of Ayr town centre.
Community invited to shape the project
Narture held a launch event at the end of last month, inviting interested people to see what was happening inside the space and find out how they could become involved.
The project is intended to work directly with the public through social engagement. Organisers want people to turn their thoughts, stories, memories and hopes into a creative vision for the future of Ayr.
Exhibition draws more than 2,000 visitors
The first major event hosted at the venue was an exhibition called Ayr: Past, Present, Future. The exhibition brought together more than 60 artists, while the overall response saw more than 2,000 visitors through the doors.
Narture founders Robert and Saskia Singer said they were “blown away” by the response. They said: “Over 60 talented artists applied and took part, and we welcomed more than 2,000 visitors through the doors.”
They added: “Your support, energy, and shared love for Ayr made the show so special. We couldn’t have done it without our amazing community.”
The founders described the exhibition as only the beginning, with further projects, exhibitions and workshops planned for the Auld Toy Shop. They urged people to watch for future announcements as the social enterprise continues developing the former Newmarket Street premises.
The project’s early programme combines the building’s history as a well-known toy shop with Narture’s stated ambitions for play, creativity, skills and public participation. Its organisers say the community response to the first exhibition has demonstrated strong interest in the space’s future.
