Winter Garden
In March 2026 Bute’s iconic Winter Garden passed into community ownership when it was purchased by Bute Community Land Company with a grant from the Scottish Land Fund.
It was a fantastic achievement for the Winter Garden Steering Group which was set up to navigate the purchase and on March 26th 2026 the keys were finally handed over and the spectacular A listed building at last belonged to the community
The purchase means that the future of the Island’s only cinema has been secured along with that of the beautiful 1920’s domed arena which will be used for functions, entertainment and cultural events and festivals providing new memories of the Winter Garden for the next generation.
However, it all has to be maintained and looked after and that will require a lot of hard work and fundraising in the future.
The Steering Group have been busy putting together plans for future events but they are also keen to hear from individuals, groups and companies willing to hire the venue. They are also keen that the community continue to support the Cinema and take advantage of the wide range of movies and cultural events on offer.
Supporters can also donate to the Winter Garden by using the Donate Button on our donations page. Every little helps!
More information on what is happening with the Winter Garden and what is on in the cinema and the Dome can be found on our Facebook page Bute Community Winter Garden and our website www.wintergardencinemabute.co.uk/home/
The members of the Steering Group are:
Richard Whitcomb
Louis Ware
Dorothy McDonald
Maureen Beattie
Ahrlene Fuller
Ruth Oliver
Meet Our Team
Richard Whitcomb is a community regeneration and economic development professional with more than 27 years' worth of experience. He has led offices in Glasgow, Sheffield and Exeter and has secured funding for communities, Councils, regional partnerships and Government agencies. He is also Chair of Bute Community Forest, as Chair of Bute Community Land Company, securing more than £400,000 in investment in the community-led regeneration-award-winning Forest.
Richard brings a wealth of experience in project development, business case-making and economic impact assessment. He recently secured monies for the Creative Islands Wellbeing programme across Orkney, Shetland and Western Isles and the Eggshed at Crinan Canal and has assessed projects film sector projects such as Herts, Camera, Action! and Creative Media Labs in England and Campbeltown Picture House. He has led on local research projects and led pan-Scotland reviews for the Scottish Government, including Business Gateway, Business Support to Third Sector Enterprises (Just Enterprise), Cooperative Development Scotland and Digital Support programmes.
Louis Ware grew up on the island and is currently a Business Management graduate apprentice at Glasgow Caledonian University while working at Help Ltd. After leaving Rothesay Academy Louis graduated from the University of Stirling in 2021 and moved back to the island.
Since then Louis has been involved in various committees from across the community taking in numerous roles such as chair of the Bute County and Cowal Cricket Club and Treasurer of the Bute Community Band.
Louis is enthusiastic about the local community and hopes to use his University studies, personal experience and professional experience to help the steering group save this beautiful building.
Dorothy McDonald has lived on Bute for 30 years and recently retired as Director of local children's charity, Achievement Bute. Dorothy has also worked in other organisations as a Chartered Surveyor and Project Manager.
She has many years experience of working with third sector organisations and has been successful in obtaining funding for a wide range of community-based projects on Bute and further afield.
Dorothy is interested in film, theatre, dance and music, and has been a member of Bute Film Club since its inception. She has also written and directed many of Bute's Community Pantomimes, the last five of which have been multi-media shows performed in the Rothesay cinema.
Maureen graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in Glasgow in 1974 with the James Bridie Gold Medal and has been working as an actress and director ever since.
She was President of Equity, the performing arts and entertainment trade union, from 2018 - 2022. She is on the board of Wonder Fools Theatre Company and is Honorary President of the Scottish Music Hall Society and Patron of the Gaiety Theatre in Ayr.
She has won many awards including a Glasgow Herald Archangel Lifetime Achievement Award, an Outstanding Women of Scotland Saltire Award and was made an OBE in the 2020 Queen's Honours for services to the entertainment industry. She is the daughter of the late comedian and actor, Johnny Beattie.
Ahrlene was born and brought up in Glasgow and has lived on Bute for just over a year. She came to the island after a five-year stint in Southern Ireland running a hospitality business and working closely with local tourist providers to produce a quality experience on the world famous Wild Atlantic Way.
Prior to that Ahrlene worked for 26 years in journalism, winning five National press awards whilst working with several notable daily and weekly newspaper. Before ‘retiring’ from journalism, Ahrlene became newspaper editor and then editor-in-chief for a well-known weekly newsgroup.
After leaving the newspaper industry she joined Central Scotland Police as their Press and Media officer before venturing into pastures new in the hospitality industry.
Having studied Business and Marketing as a student, she was finally able to put it to good use running a holiday business involving holiday cottages, guest houses, a café and catering for private events.
Having a passion for the past, Ahrlene has also written, developed and brought to life a history trail and in Dumfries and Galloway which led to the development of a local heritage centre.
Ruth moved to the island permanently in January 2024. She became involved with the Community Forest in October 2024.
Ruth is a retired Chartered Accountant who has experience in a wide range of businesses, latterly mainly with Charities and has just finished working for the Scottish Civic Trust in Glasgow.
She is delighted to be involved with the Community Forest and looks forward to exciting times ahead with the various projects that are underway.