All I want for Christmas.

It is now only a couple of days before I discover what Santa has stuffed in my stocking. I have to be honest and state that this year I have been very greedy and have wished for a very big and expensive present. The one item that would make me very happy would be discovering that our bid for the Clyde Street Centre has been successful.

Over the past couple of months I have tried to convince myself that we have a real long shot and that we should not raise our hope or expectations. And if truth be told we are the real outside bet, but the more you think about it the more you feel what a tremendous lift the regeneration of that lovely old building would bring to the area.

You will probably have gathered from an article in the Helensburgh Advertiser, that the vendors have received 3 bids for the building. These are now being reviewed by Argyll & Bute Council's project team and an announcement should be made in the very near future. We do not know the identity of the other 2 bidders or what their plans are but as you can imagine the rumour mill is starting to turn.

In the past few days we have heard that the ‘Council Offices’ feature prominently in all three bids and that the Helensburgh Heroes bid is not in the running. It’s always nice to feel wanted!

But there is no point in seconding guessing or feeling depressed/elated (strike out as appropriate) until we have heard officially through the vendor’s agent.

Ever the optimist, we should remember that Paris was the red hot favourite for the 2012 Olympics and that most commentators thought that London would trail in a distant third (Madrid being 2nd favourite) and yet look what happened.

So Santa is you are reading this and you have room on your sleigh for a AN Paterson designed former School Building the I promise that I will be a good boy for the whole of 2009 and I will even eat my sprouts on Christmas Day.

To the rest of you folks reading this in Cyber land, may I take this opportunity to wish you and your families and very Happy Christmas and a peaceful and prosperous New Year.