An influential academic says Scotland can shake-off the negativity surrounding its town centres – by accelerating work to create a better future for them, their residents and visitors.
Professor Leigh Sparks believes attention is too often skewed towards reflecting on what has gone before rather than seizing new opportunities to tackle the challenges towns face.
He spoke as Scotland Loves Local Week – seven days of action focussing on work taking place to reimagine communities and rallying people to boost the economy by spending with local businesses – begins today (Monday).
Prof Sparks is chair of Scotland’s Towns Partnership (STP), the organisation behind Scotland Loves Local, as well as being a leading retail academic and influencer on strategies to rejuvenate places.
He said: “The town centre narrative is all too often negative. But it does not need to be. There are real opportunities we can take to resolve the issues we face and reinvent our town centres.
“No-one can deny there are challenges as our economy and society changes.
“Our town centres can, though, become places which are home to all manner of businesses and attractions – as well as, crucially, being places where increasing numbers of people live.
“The good news is that there is impressive and innovative work taking place across Scotland to rejuvenate communities in all sorts of different ways. Collectively, everyone needs to throw their energies behind finding ways to make those projects happen. The critical first step of that is by supporting local businesses of all kinds.”
As part of Scotland Loves Local Week, STP is asking people and organisations of all kinds to sign the Scotland Loves Local Pledge – signalling their commitment to choosing local whenever they possibly can, whether for shopping or services.
The Scottish Grocers’ Federation (SGF) and Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) in Scotland – which represent thousands of businesses between them – are among those supporting the pledge. Others include local enterprise organisations, councils and business improvement districts.
Read more:
- Scottish Grocers’ Federation highlights critical need to choose local
- Federation of Small Businesses signs Scotland Loves Local Pledge
- ‘Choosing local’s about supporting someone’s dream, helping build a community’
Throughout Scotland Loves Local Week, politicians from all parties will be visiting businesses and organisations across the country to see for themselves the work taking shape.
Prof Sparks added: “For many years, Scotland has led the way in revitalising town centres, making them more inclusive and fit for the future. We have to continue and accelerate this work.
“The ability to live better lives locally will support our economy, help respond to the climate crisis – making communities stronger, fairer, greener and more sustainable.”
STP leads the Scotland Loves Local initiative as a means to boost local economies and improve places by galvanising support for the people and businesses in them.
Click here to sign the Scotland Loves Local Pledge
