towards the refurbishment, with the remainder to be raised by the Guild. Subsequently, however, Inverclyde Council approached the Guild to suggest that they might wish to relocate to a more central site on the waterfront and that that could lever additional support from Riverside Inverclyde. After several months of discussion and a feasibility study, the Guild opted to build a brand new arts centre - The Beacon - on former ship repair graving yard and dockland beside Customhouse Quay. The Arts Guild Theatre closed with a last show on Saturday 8 December 2012, a performance of the pantomime Cinderella by the Greenock Players amateur dramatic company. The building was subsequently used by the Thistle Theatre Group, but it continued to deteriorate and in December 2017 its owners Peel Land and Property announced demolition of the old premises early in 2018. Demolition was carried out in February 2021. The Beacon Arts Centre Having opted for a new building on the waterfront site, Greenock Arts Guild, which owns and manages the Beacon Arts centre, arranged funding for the construction works with its project partners: Inverclyde Council, Riverside Inverclyde and Creative Scotland were the main contributors, and Big Lottery and Social Investment Scotland put in substantial funding, all secured against the title of the Beacon. There were also numerous major contributors as well as many others who donated to the redevelopment project. Site and design The site lies between the Custom House and the East India Harbour. Formerly the entrance frontage to the square was occupied by an 1850s harbourmasters' office and waiting room for the Clyde steamers, and the harbourside area by James Lamont & Co ship repairers: both were cleared away in the 1990s. Lamont's dry docks had to be infilled before work commenced; this was done by the Spring of 2010. The Arts Guild obtained this waterfront site as a land swap with Peel Holdings which owned the docklands. The new building was designed by LDN Architects, who aimed to provide a focal point for performing arts in the area as well as a local community asset. It was to form part of proposed redevelopment of the harbourside area. In 2013, the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland selected the building as one of the 12 entries receiving their annual award. The judging panel said that "This building seems wholly appropriate for its superb waterside setting. It is elegantly contemporary