The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Creative drive aims to breathe life into town
Kirkcaldy: Two entrepreneurial traders at forefront of bid for revival of ailing High Street
Two entrepreneurial traders hope to establish a creative hub in a bid to breathe new life into Kirkcaldy’s ailing town centre
As they prepare to move into new premises, furniture restorers Lorraine Gardiner and Nadia Moreland hope to open a gateway for similar businesses to follow suit.
They are to launch a pop-up shop and hope to start makers’ markets to help introduce new creative industries to High Street shoppers.
And they have produced a short film encouraging others to set up shop on the High Street.
The town centre is dotted with empty, boarded-up units and recently lost one of its major pulls, Tesco.
It is feared the departure of the supermarket, coupled with expansion at Fife Central Retail Park on the edge of the town, will result in further closures.
But Lorraine and Nadia, owners of Love Restored, have taken action in a bid to inspire fellow traders to have faith in the once-thriving heart of the town.
Lorraine said: “We have watched the sad demise of our High Street but now it’s time to work together to bring it back.”
The pair opened their shop in the town’s Merchants’ Quarter, at the east end of the High Street, a year ago but are about to move to bigger and more central premises.
As well as running their own workshops and demonstrations, the pair will rent space in their shop to other makers.
Nadia said: “This will create opportunities for people like us that want to start their own business but aren’t sure whether there will be demand for their product, or whether their prices are right.
“We hope that by allowing people to use our shop it gives them the knowledge and experience to then go on and take on a smaller shop elsewhere, or share a bigger shop.
“It will be something completely different for the High Street.
“Over the years we have seen the High Street dwindle for various reasons including out-of-town retail, supermarkets selling everything under one roof and internet shopping.
“But people’s shopping habits are changing and people are thinking about High Streets in a different way, so it’s a good time to kick-start something like this.”
Shoppers and fellow traders joined forces to back Lorraine and Nadia’s drive.
The video, produced by Digital Media Fife, is to be launched soon and will be posted on the shop’s website at www.loverestored.co.uk.
People’s shopping habits are changing and people are thinking about High Streets in a different way, so it’s a good time to kick-start something like this. NADIA MORELAND