Campbeltown - Gloom or Boom?

[Kintyre Forum News]

A recent comment on the Winehouse thread about plenty of vacant shops to choose from got the Kintyre Forum thinking.

What is your perception of Campbeltown Town Centre? Do you see the difference or like a lot of people look at the negatives which leave a bigger impression on you?

With the opening of the former Victoria Wine shop on the Main Street this leaves ONLY ONE vacant shop on our Main Street (the former Raez Shoes shop is apparently opening as a beauty salon). There is a new owner in the Property Shop in the Main Street with the shop all nicely painted. Occasions has recently opened in the former paint shop. Shop front painted etc as have the Butchers and Duncan Browns and McGoghan's Pub is currently being painted. In fact a number of shops etc over the last few months have been painted and in general look better. The Factory Shop has made a huge difference to the town whereby there are former Woolworths Premises lying empty across Scotland.

Along Hall Street the only unoccupied property - the Palm Bistro - is to open as a restaurant again leaving all shops occupied.

There is no doubt work on the Royal Hotel would give the town a huge boost and the signs are encouraging if you noticed the planning application for outdoor tables etc on the Courier last Friday and it is noticeable that stone has been removed from the Kinloch Road elevation (stone match?).

In Longrow the new Blacksmith Shop has opened shortly after Zenas opened too - both worth a visit.

So is your glass half full or half empty when you look at the town these days? Are other similar size towns in Scotland experiencing a similar trend?

Sorry, just rattled this together but hopefully it serves some purpose for a good debate!

[Isa]

A very positive post and good news for the town. Can I also mention the upcoming restoration of the memorial on the Esplanade?

[maxmix]

The Raez shop was leased out around 2 weeks back as I was led to believe....

We still have The Old Post Office at the top of Main Street which I hear a few offers were made fo but all refused...

I heard a couple of days ago there is another shop closing in the Main Street... Also The Parahandy is still closed up looking onto the Main Street...

Tradewinds will be closed until the New Year anyway, closed for the last 2 years... and we still have McKellars !

Going into Longrow South and it does not look good !

A couple of shops closing and a couple opening does not solve many problems !

And all the cash spent on the shop fronts, a small fortune I do believe , look how the new gift shop on Main Street looks with a fraction of that cash spent...

Yes a good post to debate on.....

maxmix

PS At least Tradewinds will be open now in the near future +
PPS Please feel free to correct me at anytime

[Isa]

... Please feel free to correct me at anytime

Last time I looked The Parahandy was in Bolgam Street

[RAM]

Talking of Bolgam St. and it's junction with Main St. , it can get pretty smelly round there ! Not a good advert for Campbeltown.

[gizmo]

Isa, what is being done to the war memorial?

[Isa]

Isa, what is being done to the war memorial?

Gizmo, it's to be restored to it's former condition. There is water ingress and until they start work they are not sure what is inside ie.rubble or what?

I am led to believe that the hedges are coming down to be replaced with railings and there will be black marble plaques depicting the names. It says in the Courier that there is to be landscaping round the monument. The committee are looking for funding and will hopefully get donations through fund raising events.

I'm sure the locals will be happy to help such a worthy project.

[Isa]

Just came back on to say that hopefully they will find a way of keeping the area in front of the memorial clear of the Burger van with its row of plastic chairs. Burgers Al Fresco

I don't want to offend the guy who is only trying to make a living but I find it really disrespectful.

[azura]

isa while i appreciate your concerns i have never seen the burger van parked in front of the memorial ,usually midway between the swimming pool and memorial or on the opposite side of the road weather permitting. on the subject of respect surely the dog owners who do not clean up after their pets, the empty alcohol containers frequently found lying there and on more than one occasion the rememberance day wreaths being destroyed should be more of a concern to you, all traders in the town are having a very difficult time making a living at the moment and should be congratulated for continuing to offer a service to the people of campbeltown, as for litter etc. the areas around both catering vans on the esplenade appear to be very well kept which i am sure is because both vendors have spent a lot of money getting their licenses etc.

[maxmix]

... Please feel free to correct me at anytime

Last time I looked The Parahandy was in Bolgam Street

Maybe you need to go to Specsavers

Re: ''Also The Parahandy is still closed up LOOKING onto the Main Street...'' !

I see (On another thread here) the Sports shop is also closing which is a pity... Talking last week to someone on the Traders Association, there are 17 shops closed now in the town....

Not sure how many are actually open now, but 17 closed in this small area certainly needs looking at....

Anyone got anything more positive to say ? Please feel free

maxmix

[EMDEE]

I see (On another thread here) the Sports shop is also closing which is a pity... Talking last week to someone on the Traders Association, there are 17 shops closed now in the town....

Not sure how many are actually open now, but 17 closed in this small area certainly needs looking at....

Anyone got anything more positive to say ? Please feel free
maxmix

And this is before the new Tesco superstore opens!

[4th gen Suthen']

oh aye Emdee, just can't wait for that...

[Ship called Dignity]

I see (On another thread here) the Sports shop is also closing which is a pity... Talking last week to someone on the Traders Association, there are 17 shops closed now in the town....

Not sure how many are actually open now, but 17 closed in this small area certainly needs looking at....

Anyone got anything more positive to say ? Please feel free

maxmix

Maybe I'm a glass half full person but, maxmix your posts on here about the town centre are always negative and must do a lot to hearten those businesses who do try to survive in the town centre - not. I actually don't think you mean to come across that way but I just read them as doom and gloom. So looking at it the other way round what about the 100 + shops* that are occupied in our town centre? Shouldn't we sometimes stand back and look at the positives?

The original post highlights a number of positives - take the bottom half of the town centre for example. From Bolgam Street and Shore Street down to the harbour the Factory Shop is now occupied, the Palm Bistro is to re-open and news on the Royal is hopefully coming soon (I do live in hope! and while the Parahandy closed down we fail to recognise the re-opening of Whisky Macs!). In that area alone it means there will be only ONE unoccupied 'shop' (a former public house)

The Main Street is far better that it was 6 months ago and definitely healthier looking than 2 years ago. As for the Old Post Office, well it unfortunately has been like that for 30 years so its not new to the town. (Doesn’t mean it is acceptable but doesn't mean it is fair to draw it in to the comparison).

News of Intersport closing in the Main Street is indeed a blow - and for some for more reasons than one. However, it once again highlights that this business is not closing because of its performance here but because of shops elsewhere within the company - which is really said, and the exact same can be said of Woolworths, Victoria Wine and Robertsons which were 'allegedly' all good profit making businesses.

I really wish I took more photos of the town over the last 10 - 20 years to show there have been vast improvements and not the other way around as many keep suggesting. 5 years ago the town centre was a lot worse and there were certainly more empty 'shops' and in a better financial climate.

Sure there are negatives, but it is a lot better than elsewhere - have you been to other towns in Argyll recently?

*(I'll use the term shops loosely as maxmix's 17 unoccupied shops include Public Houses and other commercial types)