A shoddy way for owners to find out
Ayr MSP John Scott described the Kyle Centre closure as a “hammer blow” for Ayr town centre retail.
He said: “For this news to come out of nowhere, and apparently with no prior notice to tenants, is a pretty shoddy way to treat those businesses operating from the Kyle Centre and it will obviously leave them concerned as to what the future will hold, particularly in the current economic climate.
“It’s also a further hammer blow to the top end of the town, already reeling from a run of closure announcements.
“And it will be a particularly bitter pill for those shop owners to know that the same company which has just told them that the Kyle Centre won’t reopen is itself in line to receive a multi-million pound pay out from the council – if their plans for a leisure complex on the Arran Mall gets the go-ahead.
“This just further underlines the need for a comprehensive package of measures to help stimulate Ayr High Street and for an extra year’s extension to the current 100 per cent rates relief for hospitality, leisure and retail businesses.”
Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock MP Allan Dorans said: “I am disappointed to hear of another closure on our High Street and the further loss of jobs during these extremely difficult days.
“As we recover from the Covid-19 crisis, it is imperative that rejuvenation of our town centres is a priority, and we must explore different ways to ensure this happens.
“I am aware of a number of initiatives being taken forward by South Ayrshire Council which will regenerate the High Street and make it an attractive place to come to for leisure, shopping, entertainment and to live. South Ayrshire Council have my full support for all of these initiatives.”
Town centre councillor Siobhian Brown, the council’s economy spokesperson, described the closure as “worrying”.
She said: “I am aware that all tenants of the Kyle centre were aware the centre had been purchased for redevelopment and were on short-term agreements.
“With online shopping and retail parks opening up outwith town centres, our High Streets have struggled before this Covid crisis.
“Ayr High Street is not unique, this is happening the length and breadth of the country. This is why it is vital that we look at new strategies to revitalise our High Street and attract people back to our towns.
“Our town will never be a bustling retail centre again but there are other ways to attract people into our towns such as introducing residential, leisure, entertainment and culture back into our towns.
“South Ayrshire Council have bought the Hourstons/ Arran Mall complex with a view of building a state-of -the-art leisure complex which can attract people and families alike back into our town centre.
“This will soon go out for public consultation where the public can give feedback with a full knowledge of the project.”
She added: “If we don’t make bold decisions and change things we will be destined for another decade of empty shops in our town.”
Ayr election candidate, Chic Brodie, said it was “unacceptable” for the retailers to find out about the closure via social media.
He told The Post: “Enough is enough. Firstly, for a retailer, in fact all of the few retailers in the centre and indeed an excellent business manager, to find out about this ‘out of the blue’ is unacceptable.
“This was and can be an excellent retail centre.
“Given that the High Street is too long for modern street shopping there was and is an opportunity to concentrate shopping in the centre of the High Street and the town.
“The council and the owners should immediately set a programme to determine if we can work with retailers at the north and south ends of the street to come up with a plan post-pandemic for such retailers to move to the centre.
“And a meaningful parking arrangement must be established to support a reborn centre.
“That means reviewing the ‘Leisure Centre Plan’.
“You don’t have to go further than Heathfield to establish what concentrated shops and parking can mean.”