A business ambassador has been appointed by Perth and Kinross Council to strengthen relations with independent traders.
Councillor Murray Lyle has taken on the role, creating an informal link between retailers and local authority officers.
Mr Lyle’s remit includes supporting the council’s business development team to secure new inward investment, as well as advising and assisting on new policies.
Mr Lyle, who has run businesses in the agriculture and livestock industry, said: “I am absolutely delighted to be given this role which I hope will help to highlight this new administration’s more pro-active role towards the concerns and needs of local businesses.
“We are a pro-business council and it will be my job to ensure that our current business base knows that, and also to encourage, where possible, new or expanding businesses to come to Perth and Kinross.”
Council leader Ian Campbell, who made the appointment, said: “We already have a tremendous business team and Murray, I know, will be keen to work closely with them in bringing greater opportunities to Perth and Kinross.
“I am absolutely delighted that Murray has accepted this challenge.”
There were calls for an ambassador-style post in the wake of McEwens of Perth’s collapse last summer.
The iconic department store’s closure sent shockwaves through the business community and triggered calls for change.
In response, the Perth Traders Association was set up to give a stronger voice to independent shop owners. The group, which was encouraged to learn from the experiences of a similar association which was set up in Pitlochry, is likely to work alongside the new ambassador.
Part of Mr Lyle’s role will be to highlight, promote and celebrate the breadth of commercial talent across the region.
There are growing concerns amongst Perth businesses about the arrival of new big-name shops on the edge of the city centre.
Last week, plans were approved for a £10 million revamp of St Catherine’s retail park. And there are proposals in the pipeline for a £30 million cinema and shopping complex at Thimblerow.
Traders have generally welcomed the investment, but called for measures to soften any negative impact these developments could have on city centre stores.
Mr Lyle, who has been a Conservative councillor for the Strathallan ward for more than a decade, takes up his new role with immediate effect.
