Barbers cut up over festive square blow
Work not completed for switch-on
Businesses in Aberfeldy are set to miss out on a bumper Christmas bonus because work on the town’s square has not been completed.
Perth and Kinross Council has yet to finish the £900,000 regeneration of The Square in Aberfeldy which began at the end of July.
It had been expected the paving slabs, trees and benches of the much-hyped project would all be in place in time for the public space to be the focal point for the Santa parade, lights switch-on and Christmas market events on Saturday, November 30.
But The Square is still very much a building site and the market, with its addon reindeer parade, Santa’s grotto, choir singing and pipe band, has been moved to the school campus at the other side of the town.
Just over a year ago, the Grizzly Beards barber shop moved from Aberfeldy Business Park into the old Bank of Scotland building on The Square.
Business partners Helen-Louise McAllister and Arlene Turnbull have put their hearts into the venture and commute from Perth every day to open the shop.
They are angry there will be no passing trade this weekend as The Square is not ready as promised and customers have to nip round barriers and building skips to reach their door.
The barbering duo went to some effort and expense doing up their Christmas window specially for the market in an effort to show a bit of civic pride.
Helen-Louise said: “Like everyone, I was under the impression our lovely new square would be ready for the Christmas market next Saturday.
“Now I hear the stalls are all going to be in the car park at Breadalbane Campus, where there are no cafes and no shops to benefit from all the folk that come along.
“As I heard it, all of us traders in The Square had made plans to be open and support Aberfeldy’s big day.
“It’s very disappointing. The work’s behind and all the action’s going to be happening somewhere else.
“We have put up with the disruption since the summer - and I’m sure the finished result is going to be good - but we have not got what we were promised, it was supposed to be all done ready for the Christmas market.”
Chair of the Aberfeldy Community Council Victor Clements said the cold snap was to blame: “It looks like the prolonged frosty weather has prevented any tarmacing and concreting work, but parts of The Square have been opened up now, and the contractors are dealing with the issues around the periphery.
“I see people walking around it every day looking at what they are doing and where. I believe a couple of weeks will see it through now, so we should have a new square in time for Christmas.”
A spokesperson for Perth and Kinross Council commented: “The regeneration works on Aberfeldy Square will unfortunately not be finished before the Christmas lights switch-on and market in the town. Currently the works are scheduled for completion on December 12, weather conditions permitting.
“We have met with representatives of the group responsible for the Christmas parade and can advise that following discussions, they have made appropriate alternative arrangements with Breadalbane Community Campus.
“We will work with the parade organisers to accommodate their plans as far as possible, however The Square remains a construction site under the management of our contractor.”