MOVE over Mayfair ... Culzean Castle is now cramping your style.
The town of Ayr now has its own official Monopoly game.
Launched last week, the new game has crowned Culzean Castle as the “Mayfair of Ayr”. Completing the game’s most expensive set is Ayr Racecourse, which replaces Park Lane from the London Monopoly original, although I’m not sure what Ayr council’s planning department would reckon on applications for housing in this area.
No fewer than three Burns landmarks also feature, comprising Brig o’ Doon, Burns Cottage and the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum. Other landmarks given star billing on the board include Ayr Town Hall, Ayr United FC, Ayr Rugby, the Kyle Centre, the Wallace Tower, Greenan Castle, The Grain Exchange, Belleisle Park and St John’s Tower.
The four train stations from the original board take on the travel theme of Glasgow Prestwick Airport, Auld Brig, Ayr railway station and the Electric Brae.
The makers of this take on the world’s most famous board game are proudly describing the new version as “a love letter to Ayr”, apt given the town is the birthplace of one of the world’s most famous love songs, courtesy of the Bard himself.
The new board is being produced by Winning Moves UK under official licence from the Monopoly brand, owned by Hasbro.
READ MORE: Roxanne Sorooshian: We must not lose the community spirit created by lockdown
George Shrimpton, custom games executive at the firm, said: “We have been wonderfully spoilt for choice putting the game together.”
Three charities each feature on their very own Community Chest squares, following a public vote. They are Whiteleys Retreat,
Cash for Kids and Dunaskin Doon Band.
And many of the Chance and Community Chest cards are Ayr themed too. One card rewards players for putting their litter in the bin so as not to inadvertently feed the seagulls. A second one sees players scoop up 200 Monopoly dollars for “hearing a ghost” at Culzean Castle.
Being the honest men and bonnie lassies that they are, the people of Ayr won’t go to jail, but if they were to, Kilmarnock Prison is handy. And motorists should note that nowadays there’s no such thing as free parking in Ayr – or anywhere else for that matter.
I hope Ayr town centre features prominently ... it is home to one of the funniest episodes in a newspaper office.
Picture the scene (NB this was a while ago, before pictures went digital and young wannabe journos were at the beck and call of the newsroom): deadline is looming and staff are frantically bashing away at their keyboards. The call: “Copy!” reverberates from the sports desk. A copykid dashes over and is instructed to go to the picture library and retrieve the file for the formula one racing legend Ayrton Senna. Alas, he returned with the file for Ayr toon centre.
The new game went on sale last week and it’s sure to be popular.
In these times of Covid travel restrictions, localised Monopoly might prove a compelling proposition, a way of getting out and about when we cannot pass go.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here