Ardrossan Community Development Trust Announces Cafe Reopening and Leadership Transition as Organisation Moves Forward
Scotland-wide award-winning trust confirms plans to operate community cafe directly, with all profits returning to the community
Ardrossan Community Development Trust has confirmed plans to reopen its community cafe under direct trust operation, following the departure of its former tenant in December 2025.
The trust, which won a prestigious Surf Award for Improving Scotland’s Places in December 2025 recognising its work in developing a community asset for public benefit, is recruiting a dedicated cafe manager and operations staff to ensure the venue serves the community as originally intended. Under direct operation, 100% of cafe profits will be reinvested into community projects.
The trust is aware of claims circulating on social media and in the wider community regarding its relationship with the former cafe tenant. Out of respect for the commercial confidentiality that exists between any landlord and tenant, the trust has until now chosen not to comment publicly on this matter.
A spokesperson for Ardrossan Community Development Trust said:
“This was a straightforward commercial matter between a landlord and a tenant. The terms of the lease were discussed in detail across multiple meetings before it was signed, and we insisted the tenant obtain independent legal advice. We worked constructively with the tenant for over a year to help them meet the requirements of the lease. Ultimately, the tenant asked to leave, and we agreed.
We are disappointed that what should have remained a private commercial matter has been taken to social media. We chose not to respond publicly because sharing confidential lease information would have been inappropriate. However, we want our community to know the facts.
No formal complaint of bullying or harassment was made to the trust by the former tenant at any point during the tenancy. We would take any such complaint extremely seriously.
We are the only charity in Ardrossan to have successfully taken a community asset and developed it for public benefit. Our accounts are independently audited, we are financially sound, and we are proud of the work we deliver for this community. We want to look forward, not back.”
The trust has confirmed it is aware of a request from a small number of members for an Extraordinary General Meeting and will follow due process as set out in its constitution and will communicate directly with its membership in the coming days.
The Trust proactively approached representatives of the group to offer a meeting to discuss concerns, with the local authority willing to attend and an independent mediator proposed to chair. This offer was not taken up.
The trust’s chair, Scott Mould, has also confirmed that he has been reflecting on a video of an interaction with the former tenant that was shared on social media, and intends to step down from the chair position. He said:
“I am not proud of how I handled that particular interaction, and I have apologised for it. However, this should be seen in the context of months of sustained harassment directed at our volunteer trustees and their families. I had already decided to step down as chair before this request for a meeting was received. I have been using this time to ensure the right person is in place to lead the trust forward, because the last thing I wanted was to walk away and leave the organisation without the leadership it needs to fully reopen the Hub On The Prom and Beach House café and move forward.”
The trust has reported multiple incidents of harassment against its volunteer trustees and community volunteers to Police Scotland.
Ardrossan Community Development Trust has 288 ordinary members. The request for an EGM was signed by 18 eligible voting members.