A GOUROCK councillor has launched an online campaign to help realise his goal of creating a town heritage centre.

Councillor Ronnie Ahlfeld has secured a venue in the town’s municipal buildings, pictured, and formed a group of like-minded people to take the venture forward.

Now the council has backed an application for a Heritage Lottery grant to help run the initiative — but there has to be local support to get the money needed to make it work in the long term.

Councillor Ahlfeld says Gourock has a fascinating past and points of interest to attract people to the town.

He said: “Just think about the phenomenal stories we have to tell and the great people who have links to Gourock, like George Wyllie, Iain Banks and Jimmy Logan for example, and the part it played in the war.

“Millions of servicemen came through the town and we had the CND presence opposing the American occupation of Holy Loch, plus tea merchant Sir Thomas Lipton’s association with the Royal Gourock Yacht Club.”

But Cllr Ahlfeld also stressed that the project ‘has to be sustainable’.

He said: “Following discussions with Aubrey Fawcett, council regeneration director, he has agreed to support an application for grant aid to Heritage Lottery. He is most supportive and I am very appreciative of this.”

Councillor Ahlfeld now wants to gather evidence of public backing too and wants local people to pledge support on his Facebook page.

He said: “I know from discussing this about town that lots of people are supportive.”