‘Some town centres will have gone by then’: Kirkcaldy4All

Kirkcaldy4All manager Bill Harvey is under no illusions about the challenges facing the Fife town.

“Kirkcaldy needed help yesterday,” he said.

The town has been as badly hit as any in Scotland by closing shops and falling footfall.

The Federation of Small Businesses report points to the upcoming closure of Debenhams while at least six bank branches, shops and local premises closures have been announced since the start of 2016, it says.

Other big retailers such as BHS and M&S are among them.

Mr Harvey, whose group works to promote growth across the district, said some of the actions in the report may be too little, too late.

He said: “We have had review after review dealing with things like this. By the time a commission reports back, and action is taken, we might be five or six years behind the line. Some town centres will have gone by then.”

He welcomed the call for targeted investment from the Scottish National Investment Bank and the UK Stronger Towns Fund, but said key decisions on how it was spent must be made on the grounds of what local businesses need.

“We are often constrained on spending it on capital projects, when sometimes other things would deliver a better result,” he said.

“Any investment is good investment, but it has to be flexible.”

Janet Torley, FSB’s East of Scotland area leader, said: “Almost 50,000 people call Kirkcaldy their home, but towns like this have recently faced real pressure from big business and public sector closures.”

Fife Council co-leader Councillor David Ross, Labour, welcomed the report.

“We’re committed to investment plans for our town centres to help create thriving places all around Fife,” he said.