The Kirkcaldy Book - Community Forums - Food for thought... - 'CHANGE is coming to Kirkcaldy

29 April 2010
By Debbie Clarke
News Desk

'CHANGE is coming to Kirkcaldy and I really hope people come on board and support their town centre.'

That's the view of local councillor Alice Soper, chairman of Kirkcaldy Area Committee – one of the key politicians at the heart of the town debate.

She believes the focus needs to be on improving Kirkcaldy town centre's destination status to ensure it is somewhere people want to visit, where they can shop for a range of goods and have an enjoyable experience.

And she wants the area to be clean, attractive, safe and accessible.

Asked what could be done to fill the 50 vacant units, she said: "There could be approaches between retailers to expand into other outlets and empty windows can be used for advertising to gain revenue," councillor Soper explained.

"The BID has a role in this by appointing someone to market Kirkcaldy and show what is available. I'm also pleased to hear about the rates reduction for some local businesses – this will also help.

"We need to improve signage to show where retailers are located. It would be good to have attractive signs at the three points of the High Street - the west, middle and east ends, and the signs could have logos for all the shops to show which part they are in."

Councillor Soper recognises parking is one of the biggest bugbears for shoppers and retailers, but believes this can also be addressed.

"It is vital that visitors know where to park. More signage would help with that.

"There is parking in Charlotte Street which never appears to be used.

''People need to be aware it is there, although its design may be putting them off using it.

"If the plans to expand the Mercat go ahead, which include a multi-storey car park, my own view is we need to change the parking system.

''Visitors could pay on exiting so they don't have to rush back to their car before their time runs out and miss out on opportunities to visit other shops. Discount parking schemes could also be put in place from Monday to Friday to help those who work in the town centre."

She believes there needs to be a more interesting and wider range of shops: "Kirkcaldy has a high proportion of low cost retailers such as £1 shops.

''While they have a market, we need to encourage local businesses and specialist shops that attract those looking for different goods – for example, there is no independent electrical retailer in the High Street."

Cllr Soper also believes the new leisure centre as well as the Mercat expansion plans - which include proposals for a five-screen cinema - will help to transform Kirkcaldy's recreational status.

She said: "I only became a councillor in 2003 and when I came back to my hometown I was appalled by what I saw in the town centre. I was spurred on to do something about it.

''I have waited patiently and now, seven years on, a real change is just a month away with the start of the works on the High Street."

She added: "This is an exciting time for Kirkcaldy town centre and it's wonderful to see it being rejuvenated."