Campbeltown - Regeneration ! Where did it all go wrong ?

[maxmix]

Anyone want to shed some light on what stage the town's regeneration is at ATM !

I must say the town centre is looking the worst it has for years, which is a pity...

I've never seen this amount of closed premises now, especially in the Main Street and Longrow South...

It's really a sad state of affairs, must be at a rough count 12 premises closed in the Main Street alone an heading along Longrow South is looking pretty grim.... I know people will say a lot of towns in the UK are in the same boat, thats not the point...

The general state of the buildings are not much better I hear, with massive problems with roofing etc...

The town this time last year seemed to be looking a little more healthier ! Is there no cash going into brightning the place up anymore ? I know this will not help all the retail premises that are lying empty now, but I thought there was cash available for this...

Another bad story is the amount of business owners who are trying to sell up ! I was speaking to 3 people last week who were desperate to get out, I cannot see an easy way out for any retailer now who is trying to sell, it's going to be a downhill spiral from now on I think....

I have a funny feeling The Royal Hotel and Marina is not going to help in a big way, time will tell

It was pleasing to hear from a few people holding there own though...

I must say when the English holidays start and the few who venture to Campbeltown arrive, they are not going to like what they see.... or correct me if i'm wrong....

Fingers crossed things start to get better soon, one can only hope

Is there any party in the Council still actually doing anything regarding regeneration ? Seems to me as a lot of cash has been blown again and nothing to show for it, someone somewhere will have done nicely out of all this, that is always the case...

Your views are welcome....

maxmix

[argylltourist]

Were we not told that if Tescos relocated to Creamery site that the world for local business would end?

That apparently was a big, fat lie! Why are so many shop owners trying to sell up? Could be that many are at or past retiral and the situation may level off in time. No point in being negative, gets the town nowhere!

Maybe there are folk around who would love to start their own business and haven't quite got the courage to go for it. Is there an awareness of what exactly visitors would like? Perhaps that would be a good starting point?

I still reckon that the Main St/Longrow needs to be pedestrianised and filled with seating etc. to encourage social interaction, but that's only my view.

[maxmix]

I still reckon that the Main St/Longrow needs to be pedestrianised and filled with seating etc. to encourage social interaction, but that's only my view.

I remember a few years back I attended the open day that was to do with the one way system that was being looked at, I remember Donald Kelly and Co was at this, big plans up on boards for all to see, architect drawings everywhere that I expect never came cheap, all frowned upon by local businesses in the Longrow South - Main Street area...

Not sure how it would go down nowadays including your thoughts on pedestrianisation...

One thing for sure, there would not be much opposition since half the towns shops have finished trading now !

''Big trouble in little Campbeltown''

maxmix

[Mr.Everready]

Marina ? What Marina ?

[StephenJ]

argylltourist, how do you come to the conclusion that the proposed new Tesco being a bad thing for local businesses was a "big fat lie" from the fact that shops are closing WITHOUT it?

It is impossible to prove one way or the other the effect the new Tesco would have had, but basic economic theory suggests that a corporation removing wealth from the economy that would otherwise circulate was not going be benefit the community.

Would it not be more logical to deduce from the available evidence that the new Tesco would have decimated the already fragile local traders?

[WC1]

There's no question but that there has been something of an earthquake on the retail scene over the past few months. In Main Street and Longrow it looks as if there are now more shops closed than open. I think what argylltourist was suggesting was that various doomsayers predicted exactly this sort of meltdown if the new Tesco was built and it has happened anyway, but s/he can speak for him/herself on that one. However, there's no denying the woeful state of the town now as regards shops and services. What tourists and visitors must make of it doesn't bear thinking about, not helped, of course, by the mayhem being perpetrated by the various projects along the back road and harbourside. Even if the shops concerned were still open the town centre is not exactly an attractive place just now.

The state of the retail scene relates to the other thread about the town having been identified as one of the most fragile economically in the whole country. We need some sort of action to address the situation. What about some sort of conference or pow-wow organised by the community council or Argyll and Bute? Interestingly, our local councillors seem to have nothing to say about these matters, and the only one who ever posted on here has turned into the invisible man post-election, apart from one wee post about creepy crawlies.

[Niander]

Marina ? What Marina ?

Exactly there isn't one!
There should be one but they didn't have any insight
should of been one years ago
Look at little tarbert up the road they have a great one and have just expanded it
see the amount of yachts around this time of year...and they do have money to spend!
Generally they are not impressed by the single overcrowded pontoon when they have to raft up because there is no room at the Campbeltown inn!

[argylltourist]

Ooooh Stephenj, soo aggressive! Thanks WC1 for indeed clarifying what I thought I'd clearly said!!

It's true that the town needs a practical plan, but I believe that the councillors may still be sweeping the castle of cobwebs at the moment. But we can all shout loudly until someone hears!!
Indeed Niander, a marina would be a great draw. Tarbert is better for theirs.

Keep being nice to the tourists though, 'coz they'll come back despite the crap townscape!..........hopefully!

p.s. I am a she WC1

[mrn]

Where did it all go wrong? Did anyone actually speak to the locals? Discuss the proposals and fully engage with the community? Would be interesting to know how much was spent on consultants. I recall the local paper in Stirling ran a campaign to save its town centre. To highlight the need for it, to buy local etc and it was very effective. Come on Campbeltown Courier!

[maxmix]

Whats actually happened to the cash ? I thought over the last year the town was supposed to be getting a makeover !

Shop fronts, hanging signs from the lamp posts, remember them from last year ! Now it's the lamp posts that are hanging down...

Was some department not meant to sort this out ! Has it been abandoned or what...

Too much cash is going amiss if you ask me

Spending thousands to save four corner brackets that are in McKellars front window springs to mind, lol what a joke !

These Gaelic road signs all the way to Glasgow must have cost a fortune and for what ! The English tourists to look at and say oh thats nice....

Bloody joke if you ask me when the town is falling apart and closing down, sticking up posters in closed up shops is not the answer

maxmix

[argylltourist]

maxmix

You're well named methinks......mixing and stirring a speciality!

Who did you sell your empty shop to? LOL

[maxmix]

maxmix

You're well named methinks......mixing and stirring a speciality!

Who did you sell your empty shop to? LOL

Mota.... (He bought both of mine, he owns so much property in town it's unbelievable)

The Bookies and Amusement arcade will be open in about 3 weeks.... At least that will be another 2 premises back open on the Main Street.... If only we could get some more Bookies and Pound shops open in town, at least that would keep the tourists happy

maxmix

[StephenJ]

argylltourist, branding a large proportion of the communuity "big fat liars" is considerably more agressive than anything that I said. However, it seems that you misquoted yourself, so thanks for the clarification.

Yesterday's news that the UK is in deepening recession will not be surprising to anyone as we are all seeing the impact on the streets. The difference this time is that the effects are being seen more quickly as businesses cannot borrow to ride out the storm.

Sadly, the town lost a century-old business this week with the loss of Martins Bookshop. Although arguably the shop was in a timewarp and operating in a sector where even the big multinational players have been decimated in recent years, it is indicative that the current pressure on retailers is unprecedented in our lifetimes.

If anything, the vulnerability of Campbeltown has been understated and so argylltourist is correct - the entire town centre could die without the new Tesco, which, frankly was probably also a victim of the recession.

[argylltourist]

Stephenj

Please do not attempt to put words in my mouth. Re-read my initial post and follow to WC1's. It's not difficult to understand my meaning!

[StephenJ]

argylltourist,

I think we both now agree that what you wrote and what I thought you meant are two very different things?

The words that WC1 kindly put into your mouth were:

"...various doomsayers predicted exactly this sort of meltdown if the new Tesco was built and it has happened anyway"

Whatever the reasons for the current meltdown, whether recession (as I suggest) or a one-off demographic shift caused by mass retirement (as you suggest), the hypothetical new Tesco is not connected because it didn't go ahead.

My original question still stands: How did you come to the conclusion that the anti-Tesco lobby were lying from the facts at hand?