HOLLYWOOD actor Robert Patrick, best know for his starring role in Terminator 2, has joined the campaign to keep Castle Toward school in Argyll as a cultural institution for the nation.

Patrick has traced his family tree and found that his ancestors once lived at Castle Toward, which was for decades an educational establishment specialising in the arts but has been derelict since 2009. He has tweeted his support for the iheartcastletoward campaign, and sent its organisers a message saying: “After recently visiting Scotland and seeing my ancestral home, I am emboldened to say that Castle Toward should be protected and preserved for future generations.”

The news of the star’s intervention came as a row broke out over a challenge by Argyll businesswoman Denice Punler – Argyll and Bute Council’s preferred private bidder for the disused castle – to Kerry Nixon, who originated the iheartcastletoward campaign, which aims to keep it in public hands. The campaign has the support of more than 100 people from the arts world, such as actor Brian Cox and Kelpies sculptor Andy Scott.

The For Argyll website carried Punler’s letter, which states: “I hope you don’t mind me contacting you but we share the same passion for Castle Toward. We are the preferred bidders and saw your public campaign in the press last week.

“We very much share your desire to bring a cultural element back into the Estate, this can only serve the local economy well as it will the children of Scotland.

“We would be very happy to speak with you regarding the possibility of a lease within the premises of the coach house buildings, this would allow for both a learning facility as well as if planning agrees an accommodation for the facility. We would wish to retain a part for the café/bistro as we feel this would very much serve the community.

“There is not much point in getting into too much detail as this is very much up for discussion. This meeting can be soon or if you wish to wait and see if our deal goes through it could be scheduled then, at which point I would hope your business plan would reflect this.”

“Please do not hesitate to contact me for any reason as I will be very happy to discuss things, we both very much have the estate at heart though the community is as important.”

Sources within the campaign have told The National that they are only interested in taking over the whole building and are preparing a business plan on that basis. They also pointed out that as Punler is the preferred bidder, they feel they have no right to go to Argyll and Bute Council with their plan until such times as she finalises and publishes her plans and financial forecasts.

Meanwhile, the iheartcastletoward campaign is claiming growing public support.

A spokesman said: “We have just received our social media statistics for our first nine days of the campaign and we have managed to notch up a whopping 415,000 Twitter impressions and 20,000 Facebook post reach.

“We are growing every day and we stand united in our thousands with our message – bring back the youth of Scotland to Castle Toward. The SNP are now standing with us and MSP Mike Russell has tabled a motion in the Scottish Parliament supporting our campaign and is calling on Argyll and Bute Council to halt the proposed sale. BBC DJ and Presenter Edith Bowman joined the campaign yesterday and we are receiving messages of support each day such as that from Hollywood heavyweight and Terminator 2 star, Robert Patrick.”

“From professional advice that we have been given, we understand that the offer from the preferred bidder to negotiate terms is not for us to accept or refuse. Nor is it appropriate for the preferred bidder even to suggest them at the present time.

“The relationship of the purchase is between them, as the preferred bidder, and Argyll and Bute as the vendor or owner. Even if the preferred bidder did step aside, this would not give the ‘I Heart’ campaign any right to step in, as that possibility would surely need to come by invitation from the council, as the vendor. If such an invitation was forthcoming from Argyll & Bute to open discussions, then it could be considered.”

“Whilst the preferred bid is in place, the “I Heart” campaign will not not invest hard-won resources on furthering its endeavour to bring arts and education for future generations back to Castle Toward. As things are now, that endeavour would almost certainly be to no avail, even though it is the fervent wish of all those alumnae who are shouting out loud and being publicly counted.”