Kirriemuir is shouting an ‘open for business’ message loud and clear after the removal of trade barriers.
The barriers have been associated with a lengthy programme of works to deliver a major town centre revamp, but have been taken down just in time for one of Kirrie’s busiest weekends of the year – the annual Bonfest celebration of local AC/DC hero Bon Scott – and shopkeepers who have watched takings plummet during the project say they must now look to the future with optimism.
Some elements of the project proved controversial and the Kirriemuir Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme (CARS) still has some time to run and will involve works within the town centre, but the reaction to the town centre enhancements has been positive.
A gathering of businesspeople within the last week has spawned a drive to put fresh effort into promoting Kirrie and play to the town’s strengths.
Award-winning town butcher Cliff Bertram said: “There’s been a general downturn in the past six months since the works started but that’s a sad fact of life and it’s done now, so we should be looking ahead and trying to get people back to Kirrie.
“People couldn’t get into the town centre for eight weeks during the works and that had a big impact.
“It was like a fortress, but the barriers have come down in perfect time for the big Bonfest weekend and for the summer so we’re hoping people will come up here and get the Angus experience.
“High streets in every town are dying, but the message that came out of the meeting we had was that Kirrie is an artisan town with a lot to offer from its award-winning businesses, specialist shops and famous names such as the Star Rock Shop and Visocchi’s which have been on the go for so long,” added Cliff.
The Angus town also plans to lean on the experience of business counterparts over the Perthshire border in neighbouring Blairgowrie, where strength in numbers is being used as a tool to sell the town to locals and visitors.
“We’re speaking to other business associations, such as the one in Blairgowrie, and might hopefully look at ideas such as television advertising to promote Kirrie,” added Mr Bertram.
“We’ll do whatever it takes to get the message out that we are open for business.”
The first influx of visitors to enjoy the new-look town square will be the invasion of AC/DC fans from across the world heading to the expanded Bonfest celebration.
Organisers DD8 Music have taken a major step forward with a dedicated festival site for what will be the tenth anniversary event, featuring AC/DC tribute bands from Germany, Switzerland and Spain and also a performance by one of the band’s first drummers, Tony Currenti.
This Saturday will also see the unveiling of a life-size statue of the rocker – who spent his early years in Kirrie before the Scott family emigrated to Australia – in the culmination of a £50,000 campaign to honour the singer.
