COUNCILLORS who supported £6.7 million plans for a visitor centre in Galashiels to house the Great Tapestry of Scotland can expect a backlash from voters when they seek re-election at May’s local government polls.

That is the New Year prediction of Councillor Watson McAteer, who led an unsuccessful revolt against the project.

In the controversial scheme, Scottish Borders Council will contribute £3.5 million in capital – repayable at £208,000 a year over 30 years.

The Independent member for Hawick and Denholm said: “I believe those who failed to listen to their electorate and supported this costly and damaging folly can kiss goodbye to their prospects of re-election in May.”

He was reflecting on the December 22 decision – by 26 votes to seven – to bring a permanent two-storey home for the 160-panel artwork to the site of the former Poundstretcher store at the foot of High Street.

It will be linked to the adjacent vacant Post Office building, which will provide the main entrance along with reception and café facilities.

The council agreed to write off the £340,000 it has already spent pursuing an option of siting the attraction at Tweedbank – a location which, unlike Galashiels, failed to attract the £2.5 million from the Scottish Government required to bring the tapestry to the region.

Bids for the funding balance of £700,000 from other sources, including the Heritage Lottery Fund, will now be prepared by council officers. The facility is due to open to the public in April 2020.

Cllr McAteer’s call for the entire venture to be aborted found support from the other four Hawick councillors present at the meeting.

But all four Galashiels & District councillors – John Mitchell (SNP), Bill Herd (SNP), Sandy Aitchison (Borders Party) and Bill White (Independent) – voted to bring the tapestry to Galashiels.

Cllr McAteer said: “In the two-and-a-half years Since we were first introduced to the proposal to site the tapestry in the Borders, I have rarely seen something gather so much public disquiet and unanimous rejection.

“This has nothing to do with what is recognised as a fantastic piece of art stitched together by enthusiastic volunteers, but everything to do with the voice of the Borders public.

“The electorate who have placed their trust in us as councillors wanted this project – and the huge public expense involved – abandoned. Supporting this is like telling them, ‘Thanks for electing me, but don’t expect me to respect your views’.

“Placing the tapestry in Galashiels, which already has a railway, a £7 million transport interchange and a shopping complex next to the town centre which attracts two thirds of all the retail spend in the Borders is ignoring the rest of the region.

"There is absolutely no credible evidence that visitors to the tapestry will travel one further mile to visit anywhere else in the Borders. It is ironic that, at the same meeting, this council was told it faces a £9.1 million funding gap in the next financial year, which means that cuts in services and/or personnel are inevitable.

“In that context and with council tax set to rise by three per cent after a nine-year freeze, it will be difficult for those councillors seeking re-election to justify the tapestry expense to their constituents.”