Latest news with #Scotland'sTownsPartnership
The Herald Scotland
20-07-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Support for local businesses in Scotland 'stronger than ever'
As restrictions began to ease, its call to action and support for enterprises and community organisations was credited with helping to rebuild confidence among consumers, protecting the future of local businesses and saving jobs. And the organisation which spearheads the drive says its legacy is a wave of "continued positive action", with people encouraged to act to create stronger, more successful and sustainable communities, as well as an initiative which is locking millions of pounds into local economies. Having evolved from an emergency response campaign, Scotland Loves Local is now a broader mission to secure long-term economic prosperity for places - reminding people that the simple act of choosing local provides the foundation for encouraging innovation and investment in the future. READ MORE: Scotland's Towns Partnership (STP), the organisation which champions the role that towns have at the heart of national life and the economy, continues to lead the movement with support from the Scottish Government. Professor Leigh Sparks, a retail academic who is also STP's chair, said: 'Whilst we all had high hopes that Scotland Loves Local would resonate and have an impact, the reality was far more powerful than we had anticipated. It hit the spot with many people, consumers, communities and businesses. 'Five years ago, we did not anticipate that Scotland Loves Local would be such a success and broaden beyond its original conception. 'Its purpose though remains the same - building a movement to support local businesses and local communities by tying together local spending.' And it is one which supporters say could hold even greater importance with a Community Wealth Building Bill - including proposals which would place statutory requirements on local authorities to support local businesses - working its way through the Scottish Parliament. Professor Leigh Sparks, Chair of Scotland's Towns Partnership (Image: Scotland's Towns Partnership) 'Scotland Loves Local is the essence of community wealth building,' added Prof Sparks, who was also author of the New Future for Scotland's Towns report for the Scottish Government in 2021, which led to the importance of towns and town centres being strengthened in national planning policies. The success of the initiative in triggering community action in encouraging people to choose local led to the rollout of the Scotland Loves Local Gift Card, in partnership with Perth-based fintech Miconex. Since its launch in 2021, it has driven more than £16 million in spending directly into local businesses across Scotland. With work underway to develop that further - technologically, as well as targeting new Scottish diaspora worldwide to support Scotland's places and expanding its use across the transport network and among visitor attractions - STP is confident that its worth will continue to grow. 'The more we can think about how we use the card in more places - more different types of places - across Scotland, the more that reinforces the sense of place, but also how people tie into place,' Prof Sparks explained. READ MORE: 'That's the important thing about the gift card and Scotland Loves Local.' The 'love local' banner is one which many organisations have embraced to encourage people to enhance their towns as places to live, work, visit and play. Members of Milngavie Business Improvement District (BID) were among those who were the faces of Scotland Loves Local's launch, telling their stories about the importance of choosing local. Wendy Ross, owner of Ruby Red and Driftwood - a neighbouring gift shop and boutique in the town centre - was one of them. Such was the support five years ago - and since - that she believes the town is in a stronger place than it was pre-pandemic. • Milngavie business owner Wendy Ross outside Ruby Red gift store (Image: Scotland's Towns Partnership) 'With the Scotland Loves Local campaign, and our successful BID in Milngavie, encouraging people it's made people an awful lot closer,' said Ms Ross, who has been in business for 19 years. 'It feels more of a community now. "With the hard work that we've all done, Milngavie is a much better place to come and visit than it was five years ago. The place is looking the best it ever has.' Much of the work that is taking place to transform towns - including creating new homes, rejuvenating formerly derelict blights as part of community-led action and repurposing redundant retail units for leisure, hospitality and offices while encouraging more people into town centres - will be celebrated as part of Scotland Loves Local Week next month. Prof Sparks, who is Professor of Retail Studies at the University of Stirling's Institute for Retail Studies, said: 'If you think about Scotland's towns, we spent 50 years destroying them in many ways by the way we disaggregated and decentralised a lot of the way we live, shop and work. We're now trying to rebuild that. 'If we look at individuals, community groups, local authorities and Business Improvement Districts, we have a network of people doing great things around our town centres to drive them forward. 'We should be encouraged with what's happening and we should be encouraging people more in the way that they do it. 'Town centres are great places. We've got massive innovation in lots of our town centres. We just need now to build on that, get more of it and get everyone pulling in the same direction.' For more information about Scotland Loves Local and the Scotland Loves Local Gift Card visit
Scotsman
16-06-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
Search launched for Town of the Year as Scotland Love Local Awards return
The search is on to find Scotland's Town of the Year as nominations open for the 2025 Scotland Loves Local Awards. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... And people across the country are being encouraged to shine a spotlight on their community's champions and the work they do to make a difference. As well as crowning Scotland's Town of the Year, the awards will also celebrate High Street Heroes, the nation's Most Enterprising Community, as well as an inspirational Place Leader. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The awards are organised by Scotland's Towns Partnership as an extension of its wider Scotland Loves Local campaign encouraging people to back enterprises and organisations in their communities. TV presenter Sean Batty and STP's Kimberley Guthrie celebrating Oban's 2024 Town of the Year win with community leaders STP Chief Officer Kimberley Guthrie said: 'Every day, people and organisations go above and beyond to make their communities better and I've been lucky to meet a few of them and see what brilliant work they do. The impact of that determination to make a difference should never be underestimated. 'The Scotland Loves Local Awards are an opportunity to recognise and reward that success, celebrating collective and individual achievements. They are a fantastic way to say a special thank-you.' As well as winners receiving trophies and public recognition, all awards finalists will be invited to a special Scotland Loves Local reception in Edinburgh. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The awards highlight the innovation and collaboration which will make towns and neighbourhoods stronger and more sustainable, tackling issues such as the climate emergency and cost of living, while also transforming places to become better, fairer, more attractive and successful. Oban, the 2024 Town of the Year in the Scotland Loves Local Awards Nationally, awards will be presented to: Town of the Year Most Enterprising Community Place Leader of the Year Eight High Street Hero Awards- recognising those who go above and beyond to make communities of all sizes better places in which to live, work and visit - will also be presented. One will be awarded in each of the Scottish Parliament electoral regions of Central Scotland, Glasgow, Highlands and Islands, Lothian, Mid Scotland and Fife, North East Scotland, South Scotland and West Scotland. Last year saw Oban named as Scotland's Town of the Year after judges heard how townsfolk have banded together to 'reinvent' the picturesque Argyllshire community. Popular television presenter Sean Batty helped community leaders celebrate their success. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad High Street Heroes ranged from a life-saving Army veteran, to people who had cleaned up their communities, a Business Improvement District and a life-enhancing community garden. Award nominations can be made at where full category criteria can also be found. There, you can briefly share the details of your nominee and why you would like to see them recognised. The closing date for nominations is 5pm on Wednesday, August 30th 2025. Finalists will be announced in September with presentations made to winners in October. The Edinburgh reception will take place in November. Spearheaded by STP and supported by the Scottish Government, Scotland Loves Local is the movement encouraging people to create a better future for their community by choosing local. This is the fifth year in which the awards have been held.
