Partnership working praised by Scotland’s Towns Partnership chief officer
Work taking place to create new town centre homes and boost businesses in Orkney has been hailed as inspirational.
Scotland’s Towns Partnership (STP) Chief Officer Kimberley Guthrie believes communities across Scotland can learn from work taking place locally.
She shared her thoughts after a visit to Orkney during which she and STP vice-chair Mhairi Donaghy – the associate director of Scottish Futures Trust – visited Kirkwall.
They discussed the future of town centres and projects underway with representatives of organisations including Orkney Council, Orkney Towns Board, Kirkwall Business Improvement District (BID) and Orkney Islands MSP Liam McArthur.
Among the projects they were briefed on was work that has taken place to bring empty spaces above shops in Kirkwall back to life as new town centre flats, further embracing tourism to support town centres and the transformation of Kirkwall’s Old Library into a vibrant new coworking space.
Ahead of Scotland Loves Local Week Later this month (August 26th), they were also briefed on the success of the Kirkwall Gift Card and Stromness Shopping Week.
Speaking afterwards, Kimberley said: “Collaboration is the key to success for breathing new life into town centres – and the many ways in which communities in Orkney are pulling together and thinking innovatively is fantastic to see. There are some exciting plans.
“The new Bridge Street development in Kirkwall, for example, will be an amazing transformation combining leisure, hospitality and social connectivity – the type of mixed use which will help create stronger communities for the future.
“The conversations we had and places we visited left me feeling truly inspired about Orkney’s innovative approach to localism and the impact that will have. There are things that communities across the country will be able to learn from so much of what’s happening.”
STP is the organisation which champions Scotland’s towns and places and the pivotal part they play in the national economy. It oversees Scotland’s Improvement Districts as well as spearheading the Scotland Loves Local initiative, which encourages residents to get behind local people and businesses.
- People across Orkney are being urged to nominate their High Street Heroes as part of the 2024 Scotland Loves Local Awards. Nominations close on Friday, August 23. Find out more at www.lovelocal.scot/awards.
