14 24.05.2013 Kilmarnock Standard Kilmarnock Standard 24.05.2013 15 SPECIAL REPORT Starting Klin has positive vision You’d be mistaken if you Marie is very open fire was thought Marie Macklin about much of the plans was all talk. and will share them in a Marie’s out to put heart Behind the positive “conversation” event being a ‘cry thinking hashtags on twitter held on Wednesday, June 5, at and the “go-do” attitude there Centrestage in Kilmarnock. is a woman with a clear vision And there’s more going on for help’ for Kilmarnock. behind the scenes, which, And she’s got the brains and if pulled off, could be like backing to make it happen. nothing ever seen before in A 42-year-old man started the town. a fire at Kilmarnock police The girl from Kilmarnock’s back into Kilmarnock Onthank estate is on the verge Speaking at her offices station as “a cry for help”, a i n K i l m a r n o c k , t h e court heard this week. of pulling off a major plan that doing an 8000 seater multi- would transform the town businesswoman told the Francis Stebbings, of David Standard: “I think we’ve got The Klin Group is Kilmarnock. out more about her use arena so it can do all types and reinvent its ambition holding a consultation The event, at plans. of sport. It will also be for Dale Avenue, Stewarton, and pride. a good heart and decent folk earlier pleaded guilty to in the town and for us to drive session next month for Centrestage in the Any business or sporting, conferencing and Her multi-million pound entertainment events. culpably or recklessly setting proposal for the former this forward we need to take local organisations town, will be held on organisation wishing fire to clothing at the police the community with us. “If we just build an 8000 seat Johnnie Walker plant on Hill and businesses over its Wednesday, June 5. to attend the event arena it won’t be economically station in March, causing Street is all about putting the “We talk the place up. We are here for the long term, multi-million pound Standard editor should register by viable so what we want to do damage to a window frame heart back into Kilmarnock plans to develop 23 CRAIG ROBERTSON emailing enquiries@ is have commercial units and brickwork. – right where Diageo cut off I’ve a job to finish, I promised myself I was going to finish it acres of the former spoke to Klin CEO klinhomes.co.uk or by and retail units driven by He also admitted acting the blood supply. independents.” Marie’s Klin Group has an and I will. Diageo site in Marie Macklin to find calling 01563 530454. in a threatening or abusive “We decided that we could “This is not just about manner by shouting and exclusivity agreement with either sit back and do nothing and that will be done by giving Opera House with St Joseph’s hotel offering here (Diageo buying brownfield sites. swearing on the same the whisky giant meaning about the Diageo site – or do “We have to keep driving it, they can go forward with our young people jobs and by designing the windows. site) will be different to the occasion. something.” training. “We went into the school one there (Encore). I’m exhausted, but we have to Katy Dawson, defending, ambitious plans for the bigger Around 700 jobs were lost keep on doing it.” part of the site not taken “ We need to work with and set up an enterprise “You are talking about a said: “It seems it was a cry for from the town when Johnnie the college to regenerate scheme and got architects 45 room boutique hotel and The developer, who bought help and attention-seeking up by the new Kilmarnock Walker closed last March. the company from her father College. Kilmarnock and create our involved.” cafes and bars. My vision is behaviour carried out at the The factory has now been own economy.” The final part of the Opera for it to be like the Merchant John Dick in 2003 and now An 8000-seat stadium completely demolished runs it with husband Drew, is police station. with a 3G pitch, a hotel, Klin’s most recent success House, known as Encore, will City in Glasgow. “He realises that there are leaving the massive site was the development of the see a boutique hotel put in But the hotel at the Diageo determined to put Kilmarnock commercial units, shops, and bare. back on the map. far better ways of seeking conferencing facilities are all former Opera House at the place – something which has site would be more modern. help rather than the manner Marie says she wants her top of John Finnie Street long been talked about for She recalls the day when She said: “We missed on the 23-acre plan. development to heavily in which he did so.” which is now home to more that site but for which Marie Kilmarnock used to have opportunities in the boom And, if the public see fit involve the young people in years and I don’t want to see Stebbings had “ a problem than 200 council workers. insists will happen. about five hotels – with names in a separate council-run the town and the new £50 She said: “Our position And if her proposals for the like the Station Hotel and the that happen again. We have with alcohol”, she told consultation, the town’s million Kilmarnock College mega-plans for Kilmarnock Kilmarnock Sheriff Court. is that we are trying to Diageo site are given the green Ossington Hotel. new merged superschool of which will be built on the regenerate Kilmarnock based light by the public, another But it is the Diageo site that and have been working on Sheriff Alistair Watson Kilmarnock Academy and other part of the site. on heritage. hotel will be built there. Marie is clearly most inspired them for years. Major plan Klin Group placed Stebbings on a James Hamilton Academy She said: “I want to see a “We need to teach our Former Kilmarnock about – something she hopes “But it is not just about CEO Marie Macklin has community payback order Gone Looking from Hill Street in Kilmarnock, this is the now flattened site of the former Johnnie Walker plant could also end up there. new economy in Kilmarnock young people and give them Academy pupil Marie believes will filter down to the people Kilmarnock. It is for all of major proposals lined up for 18 months. the aspirations to be what there is a need for two hotels taking part in the consultation Ayrshire and Scotland. for Kilmarnock “This is a case crying out they want to be. in the town. Pointing to the event. “We only get one chance for a degree of supervision,” We decided that we could either sit back and do nothing about the Diageo site or do something “We piloted that in the detailed plans, she said: “The She explained: “We are at this.” he said..