Just back from a positive and heartening visit to Kirkcaldy…
…with a strengthening sense that this is one of the places that will be able to make a significant difference to its headline highstreet vacancy rate.
“…it was great on our visit to see this by Lisa at Graef Sign Co – the latest mural in the town centre’s growing collection.”
We were here for a follow up visit to our initial ‘audit, engage’ work, whose aim is to build a clear picture of the town centre empty units challenge and start to map out ways forward.
With council colleagues, agents, landlords and a number of individuals and organisations who’ve stepped up to play their part, we’re now a good way through that initial piece.
So it’s time to really start focusing on ‘next steps’, specifically on the vacancy issue (though we always also cover what can be crucial ‘look’ and wider placemaking projects and initiatives too).
Our approach has three elements at its heart:
- creating a positive, proactive ‘place partnership’ so you have a wider range of experience, expertise, connections, resources and maybe powers on the case;
- ‘get the keys’ and take a mixed private / public sector team into priority empty units to work out who might be their next occupiers, what the barriers are and how they’re best overcome, and importantly which partners can make that happen;
- looking beyond retail, hospitality & services (although all three will be involved) to our ‘alternative’ / additional uses list which starts with arts & crafts, creative and runs through community to health & wellbeing as potential go-to options.
Conversations on our first visit, since and this time are showing just how many different local individuals and organisations are keen to help and the range of skills that brings to the table.
Challenging it is but do-able. For sure, and we’re looking forward to seeing and supporting this as it builds momentum.
If your town or city centre has too many empty units and our approach looks like one you’d like to deploy, please get in touch…!
