Worries have been voiced over the future of a town’s high street by one of its leading traders.
Amelia Howie, manager of the local branch of Barnardo’s in Cowdenbeath High Street, says the next 12 months will be crucial in the efforts to attract more people to the town’s shopping hub.
She says despite retailers taking up a number of vacant units, many are fast food outlets which create a difference between the day and night economy, with many shop fronts remaining shuttered up during daytime hours.
The comments come amid a concerted effort by Fife Council to improve numbers of shoppers in the town centre, with £50,000 of funding at its disposal for the regeneration project.
“There is a lot to offer here and Cowdenbeath must be the only place where you can park but don’t have to pay,” said Mrs Howie.
“But the takeaways are shut during the day and the businesses are closed at night so the whole place never looks open.
“The High Street is going to be resurfaced soon, which is more upheaval and could drive people away.
“I don’t know what the solution is but it needs to come from somewhere.
“Fife Council is trying really hard but I don’t know what will happen in the next 12 months.”
Local councillors heard last week work was under way to address concerns over the future of Cowdenbeath’s main shopping precinct.
Having been hit hard by the economic downturn, Fife Council held a summit meeting in February 2013 from which a Town Centre Group was set up to help lead the regeneration of the area.
A community cinema initiative has already been successful and is set to continue, while the High Street’s Green Space has been mooted as a future venue to host local events, such as a market.
It has also been suggested a programme of events is created to supplement the stock car meets and football matches.
While bringing people into the town centre is crucial, Mrs Howie said Cowdenbeath had to distinguish itself from other towns in the eyes of shoppers.
However, she welcomed the impending arrival of two new supermarkets, saying: “I came here 46 years ago and we had a lot of shops.
“There were lots of small, privately-owned shops and some big name retailers as well but it was the independent shops people came to because they couldn’t get things anywhere else.
“Tesco are meant to be coming here and Aldi as well and that should be a good thing as it will bring life to the town,” she added.
Pictures by George McLuskie