THE PAISLEY2020 BLOG
An unrelated collection of personal observations and rants about Paisley. These are the opinions of one man...
Gone but not forgotten. Old blogs can be found at...Old Blogs Feb-June 2010
and at Old Blogs July 2010 - June 2011.
BLOG 40 - AN INTERESTING OBSERVATION ABOUT PAISLEY'S EMPTY SHOPS - 9th January 2012.
This is a good question, and there isn't one straight answer, but I think I have found part of it.
In Renfrewshire, should you be a shop owner, and your tenant leaves, you will receive empty property relief. If your property is empty, you will not have to pay business rates for the first 3 months. If your cumulative rateable value is up to and including £10,000, you will pay nothing. This is because you will get 50% empty property relief and 50% small business bonus scheme. If your cumulative rateable value is more than £10,000, you will only get 50% empty property relief.
With larger shops, with rateable values of above £10,000, after the first three months, the owner will get only 50% relief - the other 50% still has to be paid. Owners seem reluctant to drop rental prices, or allow short-term leases to fill their properties, so I thought there must be a loophole. As far as I can see, there isn't one. This has been confirmed by a couple of property management companies, and the Scottish Government. If you look at the former Littlewoods store, for example, with a rateable value of around £144,000 per year, this must be costing the owners around 77 grand a year to sit empty. This doesn't make commercial sense, but that's the way the retail world is when you can't get a tenant.
Okay, the important part of all this is for rateable values under £10,000. After the first three months, you will get 50% empty property relief and 50% small business bonus scheme. It won't cost you anything. Nothing. Nada. I had a look at 25 empty retail units in Gauze Street, Moss Street, High Street and New Street. Nine of these had rateable values of under £10,000. Only two of them had 'to let' signs on their frontage, and both were owned by limited companies. The other seven didn't, and are primarily owned by individuals. These seven units are not costing the owners anything - no rates, no fees from property management firms, and no maintenance costs, as they sit appearing abandoned, neglected and empty.
The Small Business bonus scheme has a sliding scale of relief for rateabble values over 10k, and there is a Cumulative rateable value scheme in place too, but the above is the guts of the system.
And where are these owners located? Certainly not in Paisley, where they can see their empty properties, and the damaging effect it is having to our town centre, but places such as Ayr, Giffnock, Glasgow and Pollokshields. The two ugliest examples of this situation are at the atrocious 13 Moss Street and temporarily (now 4 years) patched up 40 High Street.
There is definitely a pattern here, and with an increase in demand for small retail units in Paisley, I believe these owners should be forced to upgrade their properties ready for rent. If they are not prepared to try and get their properties rented, the 50% empty property relief should be removed. Another possibility is a token rent to be charged, removing much of the financial responsibility from the owner, and assisting the High Street economy with new business potential.
Here's an interesting fact. One of our long-term, smaller empty units is owned by... the Scottish Football Association!
BLOG 39 - FLYING THE FLAG FOR PAISLEY - 4th January 2012.
The town was presented with a beautiful flag depicting the new Coat of Arms. The design was hand-painted, and had a red background. Unfortunately, by 1937 the whereabouts of this flag was unknown, even by the Town Council at the time. In the unlikely event, one century later, anyone knows where this historic flag is, please let us know at paisley2020@yahoo.co.uk.
As with all armorial bearings, these banners must be possessed by a defined legal person. The new City of Inverness was refused an application for arms as it had no city council to grant them to. Our flag was first granted to the Renfrewshire County Council, and is now the property of Renfrewshire Council. In regards to the two areas of the former Renfrewshire, Inverclyde has gained arms, and East Renfrewshire hasn't.
All Renfrewshire Council flag flying sites fly the Union Jack, Saltire and EU flag, with others such as the UN flag or the Armed Forces Day flag replacing the EU flag on relevant days.
It is a common practice in other counties and cities to fly the heraldic banner when the council is sitting in session. Unfortunately this has never been adopted in Renfrewshire.
As with all town arms in Scotland, the Renfrew arms were re-granted to the community council, after the burgh councils were abolished in 1975. The banner of Renfrew is perhaps more notable than the banner of Renfrewshire due to its existence: there is an actual flag, tucked away, which bears this design. When Renfrewshire's flag flying policy was devised in 2001, Renfrew community council appealed to have the banner flown in place of the EU flag from Renfrew Town Hall. This proposal was rejected by Renfrewshire Council.
It's unfortunate that these banners are not seen more. Scotland has a rich heraldic tradition which has largely fallen by the wayside outside of the four main cities in favour of modern, and often rather poor, local government logos.
Unfortunately the use of this Renfrewshire flag, even by a loyal Paisley Buddie, is a criminal offence in the same way Scots can end up in hot water flying the Lion Rampant, which is the Scottish royal banner.
Paisley no longer has heraldry it can exclusively call its own.
There are a number of unofficial, secondary, county flags being created in England. Why can't we have an unofficial Paisley flag? It could be flown or displayed as a symbol of unity for our great town, and most importantly, there would be no risk of arrest. Paisley needs a flag or logo which can be adopted by all, and shown with pride. The 'thumbs up' logo from last year has it's purpose, but we need something more to show all Paisley buddies, shops and businesses support their town. We need something standard, so when it's seen, it will be identified as uniquely Paisley, and can be used by all as a symbol of our support for our great town.
I would like to thank David Gardiner and his very informative webpage at http://davidjgardiner.blogspot.com/2011/02/renfrewshire-flags.html for some of the information above.
BLOG 38 - OLD ST MIRREN FOOTBALL PROGRAMMES - 5th December 2011.
I find the old shop names interesting, and these programmes offer a glimpse into a part of Paisley's history now unknown to most buddies.
I hope you find them a fascinating trip back in time.
BLOG 37 - PIMP MY HIGH STREET - 22nd November 2011.
We have pedestrianisation, so how can we make it better? I feel, when the current design was laid out, it was the result of cost against functionality. It was designed in better economic times. We live in a different retail world now, and I believe we need to change the appearance of the High Street pedestrianisation, to enhance the Paisley shopping experience, and to encourage it’s use by others. Fast food outlets have sterile, functional, easy-to-maintain seats and tables, because they want you to eat then leave, and definitely not to linger. I see our High Street as a fast shopping outlet, which is also sterile, functional and easy-to-maintain. Let’s put some character back into our High Street. Let’s pimp up our High Street.
The New Street end on the pedestrianised area is a conservation area. Unfortunately the metal and angular appearance of the street furniture detracts and dilutes the impact of our fine Victorian architecture. It’s time to replace this utilitarian image, and to add some warmth, and something more sympathetic to our Victorian heritage.
Seating
Lighting
Some of the best examples of pedestrianisation include stand-alone light poles. Some even have beautiful wrought iron poles, which are more in line with the Victorian feel of the High Street’s architecture.
Our High Street needs help. At the moment it’s street furniture is silver, grey, bland and featureless. To help people linger and enjoy what shops we have, and to entice more to set up, we need to make Renfrewshire’s premier shopping street warm, inviting and full of character.
Naturally replacing all of this would be seen by some as a waste of money. How about sponsorship of our street furniture? I mentioned flower bed sponsorship in a blog back in June 2010. Since then I have discovered one, lonely example of sponsorship dating back to the Renfrew District Council days, so it's not a new idea. Surely this sort of discreet sponsorship would help a cash-strapped council pimp our High Street into something we can all be proud of? Do this right, and our High Street can be quite photogenic, and actually become another attraction in our great town.
Ideas and suggestions to: paisley2020@yahoo.co.uk
BLOG 36 - TOURISM IN A BOX - 21st November 2011.
Tourism is one of the largest industries in the world, and it's importance filters down to the local level. Tourism is important to Paisley, bringing revenue and employment to hotels, restaurants, bars and shops. Unfortunately it is also a fact of life, when times are tough, and councils must tighten their belts, the travel and tourism industry is one of the first victims of cuts. It is seen by many as false economy, cutting back on something that should attract revenue.
There was dissapointment when our Gilmour Street tourist office closed in 2011, and a feeling of having been cut off from the outside world was felt by many. I fully understand the economic reasons behind it's closure, but have never supported the current TIP (Travel Information Point) located inside the Town Hall. I once asked why there were no obvious signs on the outside of the building. The main reason, so I was told, was because it is a popular function venue and location for wedding photos. Having a permanent TIP sign outside the town hall would compromise the visual quality of the photos being taken there. Instead, they (sometimes) have an A4 size sign attached to the doors with suction caps, which can be removed when needed. When I visited the TIP last week, there was no sign, so should any visitors have been making their way to the Abbey, they may have been oblivious to what was inside. Even when I have seen this sign in place, it hardly catches the eye being located in the shadows of the town hall's narrow entrance.
So, let's say you have ventured into the Town Hall. Today I found a grand total of three local brochures - Paisley Abbey, Paisley Thread Mill Museum and the Paisley Visitors Guide. The other 95% of literature was designed to entice you away from Paisley and to visit other parts of Scotland. I appreciate the TIP will only have brochres if someone pays to have them produced, but it's still a sad state of affairs. I checked the racks and found some Council brochures on events and one out-of-date leaflet describing a past event in the town hall, but overall, it didn't leave a lasting, favourable impression on me. Trying to look at it from a visitors point-of-view, I would have guessed the town had no interest in promoting itself as a tourist destination, or had nothing much to offer.
I won't remind you of the dozens of attactions we have which would easilly fill a day or two. Paisley is an ideal day-trip destination from Glasgow, and we really are so lucky to have what we have in such a compact town centre. I remember quite a few years ago there was a tourism campaign for Paisley. I recall standing in Glasgow Central Station, stunned, with my mouth open, looking up at a huge advertisement showing the cloiser at Paisley Abbey with the slogan "Florence? No, Paisley". It was magnificent, and it summed up what was great about our historic town. Fast forward to 2011, and although we have economic problems to deal with, look at what we have now. If ever there was a time to really push Paisley as a tourist destination it is now. If less people can afford short breaks overseas, then they will spend more time, and money, in the UK. Will they consider Paisley? I'll let you answer that one.
Unless someone can correct me, I believe the largest source of daytrippers to Paisley come from Glasgow, and the most obvious way to get here is by rail. From 2012 these visitors will arrive into the newly renovated Gilmour Street Station, with it's clean blue and white livery and new canopy. The will descend the stairs and enter County Square. Unless the visitor has a reason to turn around and look at the door they have just passed through, they will miss the Paisley street map. The visitor will be drawn up Gilmour Street, by the pedestrianisation and street furniture, past our empty tourist office, and they will find by themselves Paisley Cross, the Town Hall, Paisley Abbey and the High Street. Will they find the Oakshaws Conservation Area, Sma Shot Cottage, the Thread Mill Museum, Paisley Abbey & Art Gallery, Coats Memorial Church, the Hammills and finishing mill, etc etc? Without a tourist office, the visitor is on their own. So I had an idea.
There's fewer of them around these days, but old, redundant telephone boxes have various uses, and are iconic in their design. I was wondering why we couldn't have one situated in County Square, with a touch-screen, interactive display. It could show attractions, points of interest, concerts or shows, street map, walks, and naturally revenue-earning advertising, literally at the touch of a finger. I realise there would be an initial outlay, but once up-and-running, it could pay for itself, and help point visitors in the right direction when they first set foot in our great town. I thought of a box being painted in Renfrewshire Council pink, but that might clash with the Victorian architectural heritage of the square. Does anyone have any thoughts on this idea? Is it feasible?
Ideas and suggestions to: paisley2020@yahoo.co.uk
BLOG 35 - PAISLEY'S FASHION RENAISSANCE? - 24th October 2011.
The first signs of a fashion shop renaisance began a few weeks ago with the opening of Cosy Rosy at 47 Causeyside Street. Fiona, the manager, offers for sale vintage and contemporary clothing and interior items. vintage clothing is all the rage, and the shop should prove to be very popular. A 10% discount applies to all students and Renfrewshire Council employees.
Ph: 0141 237 6636
Bowjangles Vintage has just opened at 69 High Street (opposite the Art Gallery), having previously been located at Bridge of Weir. Amanda has stocked the shop full of ladies and men's clothing, and is definitely worth a visit. The website at www.bowjanglesvintage.com is still being updated, but will give you an idea of the great things on sale. I found the experience enough to remind me how old I'm getting. The album covers on the walls brought back many memories...
Ph: 07530 682979
Newly opened on Saturday, Kyvas Boutique is located at 15 Moss St. The interior of this shop is very classy, and congratulations are in order to Carol Ann, who has done a wonderful job. The shop front certainly turns heads, and the items on sale will definitely appeal to the "Modern Miss".
Ph: 0141 840 2240
Paisley Buddies miss fashion shops, so here's your opportunity to give Paisley another chance. All it takes is for demand to pick up, and others will come to our town. We should all be very happy to have such great shops in Paisley, and they fully deserve our support.
Please pass the word.
FOCUS ON: THE UGLY SIDE OF PAISLEY - 4th October 2011.
Paisley will never have the squeaky-clean image of a picture postcard Swiss alpine town, but there’s always space for improvement, especially where it matters, such as high-visibility locations.
I would like to know is why some of these eye-sores still exist, and are tolerated....
BLOG 34 -A new use for the former Littlewoods site? - 1st September 2011.
Paisley town centre recently received a body blow with the news Wilkinsons had decided not to come to our town. As a result the former Littlewoods store remains empty and an eyesore on our High Street. So, what now? The closure is still seen as bad news, so what’s good about it? We can wait years and see if another large retailer wants to fill this void in our High Street, or we can take matters into our own hands. Here is my cunning plan.....
BLOG 33 - HIGH STREET UNITED - 1st August 2011.
There is a solution to every problem. Paisley town centre needs our help, and there is something we can do about it, but it will take a united front. It will involve the council, shop managers, local publicity and interested buddies. Change can happen, but it will take effort, and we must want it to happen.
Shopping attitudes
It was hardly a scientific report being only six people, but it did highlight a lack of knowledge on Paisley shops and businesses by the buddies surveyed. In all fairness, these people work Mondays to Fridays in Glasgow, and if shopping is to take place, it would be at the weekend. They all had access to a car, and therefore had a choice of where to shop, and Paisley's town centre wasn’t their first choice. If you are a working buddie, and have a car, you may also find yourself abandoning the town centre for the likes of Braehead or out-of-town retail parks. Reversing this trend is the challenge Paisley town centre faces. People within walking distance, or reliant on local busses are still using Paisley town centre, but those with a car...?
This year we launched ‘This Is Paisley’, a series of free, downloadable colour magazines focusing on our town centre. The purpose of the Shop & Business directory was to highlight the goods and services we had on our doorstep, and the feedback has been very positive. It was a step, maybe more of a stumble, in the right direction, but it was a positive start, based on the feedback I received. The shopkeepers I have spoken to have had reactions ranging from “why are you doing this? Why isn’t it the Council doing it?” to “thank God someone’s trying.”
While compiling the shopping guide, I was surprised at the sheer number of shops and businesses in the town centre . The town has been abandoned by many clothing shops, and that is the town centre’s main problem. Work clothes aside, the majority of my monthly spend is in Paisley. If we all tried a little harder, Paisley would flourish. It can be done; we just need to change shopper’s mindsets to the advantages of local shopping and what our great town still has to offer.
The current pdf of 'This Is Paisley' covering shops and businesses can be viewed
HERE .
Why do we have so many empty shops?
In 1912 Paisley received it's own Coat of Arms. The gold background and blue and white chequered band are from the arms of the Stewart family.
The abbot in the centre represents the abbey and the red flowers and blue cups are from the arms of the Hamilton and Shaw families. Several famous abbots bore the names of Hamilton and Shaw. The motto reads, "Lord, let Paisley flourish by the preaching of Thy Word".
I have scanned and made available five old St Mirren football programmes, for no reason other than because I can.
Personally, I like the pedestrianisation of Paisley’s High Street. I remember the old street, and hope we never return to the traffic congested canyon of the past. Many shop-keepers are not happy about the pedestrianisation, making daytime deliveries difficult, and shoppers have mentioned the longer distances to get to parking. Either way, it's here to stay.
There’s plenty of granite blocks to sit on, but these can be very cold, and usually damp or wet. There are metal seats opposite the Paisley Centre entrance and by the former Littlewoods store, and metal benches outside Alfredo’s. These seats are always popular, and if the High Street was to be pimped, another look at seating would be required. Let’s lose the granite blocks and replace them with more heritage-friendly wrought-iron seating. This would also stop the High Street from being a skateboarders paradise.
Forget the overhead Christmas lights. I’m referring to the permanent lighting in the street. Ever looked at it? Probably not. I had to look for it, as I had a vague recollection of it being nothing more than bog-standard street-lighting, and it is. These street lights aren’t really suited for a pedestrian area, and I have heard comments along the lines of High Street being a bit gloomy and uninviting towards sunset. If we’re going to have lighting for pedestrians, lets do it right.
I was curious to see what information I would get from the Tourist Information Office at George Square, Glasgow. Putting on my second language - Australian - I posed as a curious information seeker. I was told Paisley was only 10 minutes away from Glasgow by rail, and the town had the Abbey. The girl also told me there were other museums, but they might be closed for the winter. When I brought up the subject of shopping, she summed it up by mentioning the Piazza, describing the Paisley shopping experience as "not great". Oh dear. Maybe we need to take matters into our own hands.
Change takes time, but the sense of growing optimism felt over the summer has resulted in a number of fashion shops opening in Paisley. Former Paisley shoppers have said, for some time the town didn't have the number, or diversity, of fashion shops to justify a vist. Things are now changing, and long may it last.
Open: Mon-Wed 10am to 5:30pm
Thur & Fri 10am to 6pm
Sat 10am to 5pm
Sun 12 noon to 4pm.
Open: Mon-Sat 10:00 to 5:30pm
Sat 10:30am to 5pm.
Open Mon-Sat
How can we increase shop footfall in Paisley? How can we overcome Paisley’s image problem? What can WE do to change things?
Last year I asked some Paisley buddies, whom I work with in Glasgow, about shopping habits and their knowledge of Paisley’s shops. Because shoppers have abandoned the town centre in large numbers, I felt people didn’t really appreciate when they had on their doorstep, and the answers I received confirmed this.
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