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The Courier
30-05-2025
- Business
- The Courier
Broughty Ferry's Brook Street is thriving. What's the secret?
New data gathered by The Courier reveals that Brook Street in Broughty Ferry boasts a vacancy rate of 4.4% – well below the Dundee city average of 18.7%. As of May 2025, only four out of 94 units on the street were unoccupied. Not only is the area performing well compared to Dundee city centre, but it also shows stronger results when compared to Aberdeen, where the average vacancy rate stands at 19.4%, Perth, where it is 16.9%, and Inverness, where it is 10.7%. All of these statistics are based on DC Thomson high street trackers. The national picture is also positive. According to the most recent data from the Scottish Retail Consortium, gathered in 2023, the average vacancy rate across Scotland stands at 15.7%. Brook Street may be less vacant than Dundee city centre, but it is pretty equally matched when it comes to independent businesses, with 70% (63 of 90) of its occupied units being independent. In 2024, the Courier found that 69.05% of Dundee's occupied units were independent. While Brook Street exceeded the city centre average, it trailed behind streets like Union Street (96%) and Perth Road (88%). So, what is the secret to Brook Street in Broughty Ferry's success when it comes to its low vacancy rate? John Kerr, chairman of the Broughty Ferry Traders' Association – which is responsible for Gala Week and the Christmas lights switch-on – says that the area benefits from its 'historic affluence'. He explains: 'There's good community, great housing, great schooling and there's a beautiful location here. 'It's served very well by the aesthetics of where it is positioned within the north east as well. 'And let's not also forget the fact that within Broughty Ferry and Dundee and the north east itself, we enjoy this beautiful climatic ecosystem, which extends the summer days.' Businessman John, who owns 45 Black Hound Distillery in Douglas with his wife Kerrie, says that Brook Street is also boosted by its easy-to-access location. '[Brook Street] is greatly positioned with regard to housing,' he says. '[There is a] natural sort of relationship of how people migrate from where they live into the town and into Brook Street itself. 'Its relationship with bus routes [and] its relationship with the train station gives fantastic access from – not only the locals and those who can get access to it directly – but incoming footfall from neighbouring places such as Montrose, Arbroath and obviously Dundee and Perth.' Amber Cochrane, who opened real estate business Verdala on Brook Street with Scott Bremner in 2020, thinks much of its success is down to the strong community. She says: 'Broughty Ferry has become a hub, and it's become very centralised, and it's very focused on businesses supporting one another, and it feels very friendly. 'The businesses are all very approachable, and I think that's got quite a big part to do with it.' Amber, who looks after communications at the Traders' Association, believes that plentiful free on-street parking in the area (something that is not so readily available in Dundee city centre) also helps businesses thrive. 'We often have conversations at the Traders' about the ease that parking provides for nipping into shops,' she says. 'Locals can get everything from last-minute panic presents to a full summer BBQ.' The Traders' have commissioned a survey to be conducted by industry experts at Strathclyde University this summer to track the impact of this readily available parking on business success. This comes as Dundee City Council mulls over on-street parking charges. The £18m Broughty Ferry active route has also helped to boost general footfall in the area, Amber says. 'The whole development of the Esplanade, I feel, particularly from the tourism perspective, has really added to Brook Street. The Courier's data reveals that the majority of occupied units on Brook Street are shops (40%), while only 23.3% are food and drink establishments. In contrast, across the city centre's high streets, an average of 29.5% are shops and 37.2% are food and drink venues. Specifically in terms of independent businesses, of all the shops on the Dundee high streets in March 2024, only 56.8% were independent. Meanwhile, in Broughty Ferry, 63.8% of shops were independent. But of the food and drink units, 76.2% were independent in Broughty Ferry, while in Dundee city centre, 83.8% were independent. One independent food and drink venue on Brook Street is The Selkie. Kelly-Anne Fairweather, who owns a restaurant of the same name on Exchange Street in Dundee city centre, opened the Broughty Ferry eatery in 2023. Why did the restaurateur, who also runs nearby Sol Y Sombra on Gray Street, choose Brook Street for her business? 'The unit was empty for eight years before we went into it, ' she says. 'So it was a bit of a gamble. 'But for us, it was about being part of the independent-type vibe. 'And for us, the demographic of who was using that street was quite important. 'It was predominantly women 35 plus who were shopping in Broughty Ferry. 'We know that's our target market – [people with] a little bit more disposable income.' Kelly-Anne also feels that Broughty Ferry attracts people who are looking for an 'experience'. It's not just about spending money. 'It's a sunrise-to-sunset kind of place,' she explains. 'You can go for a coffee at half seven in the morning, whether that's Gracies or whatever. 'And then you can be in the pub, or somewhere like Sol y Sombra, until midnight. 'And then amongst that, it's got everything you need. And Broughty Ferry is always attracting new businesses. Derek McCammon opened his furniture store, The Living Room, on Brook Street in May 2024. How has his first year in business been? 'It has been a lot better than I anticipated it was going to be,' he says. 'The local people have been fantastic: really, really supportive.' Derek adds that Broughty Ferry's reputation as a tourist destination also boosts footfall. 'I've also had quite a lot of customers coming from as far away as Aberdeen, Inverness and Stirlingshire, as well as people who are up on holiday from England. 'So Broughty Ferry is drawing in quite a crowd from all over, which is lovely.' All data is gathered on foot by DC Thomson reporters and analysed by its data team, which means that it may be subject to some human error. Each occupied business was manually checked to determine whether it was an independent business or a chain. Businesses with multiple locations were deemed independent if they were only based in Scotland and/or were specifically registered to Tayside addresses. Otherwise, they had a single location, which again was registered within Scotland.
Scotsman
16-05-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
Record Scottish retail sales as sizzling weather sees shoppers snap up garden furniture and outdoor toys
'Whether this unalloyed good news can be sustained remains to be seen' – David Lonsdale, SRC Sign up to our Scotsman Money newsletter, covering all you need to know to help manage your money. 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... Scotland's retail sector has cheered its best monthly performance for almost two years as the sunny weather encouraged shoppers to visit the high street. Total sales, by value, jumped 4.6 per cent in the four weeks from April 6 to May 3, compared with the same period a year earlier and after being adjusted for the effects of inflation. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The Scottish Retail Consortium's latest sales monitor showed that total non-food sales rose by 6.3 per cent, year on year, while food sales increased by 2.2 per cent. Both results were ahead of the three-month and 12-month average figures. The recent period of sustained sunshine has encouraged shoppers onto the high street. David Lonsdale, director of the Scottish Retail Consortium (SRC) trade body, said retail sales had 'sparkled' in April, bolstered by the dry weather which brought shoppers out and by Easter falling later this year compared to 2024. 'Driven largely by non-food sales it was the best monthly performance for almost two years, positive news after a lengthy period of decidedly tepid sales growth,' he said. 'Garden furniture and outdoor toys and games shone as shoppers made the most of the sunnier conditions, as did DIY and computing related purchases. Grocery sales performed well as households and families entertained over the Easter holidays.' But he cautioned: 'Whether this unalloyed good news can be sustained remains to be seen. The prospect of a possible détente in the global trade and tariffs dispute offers some grounds for optimism, albeit retailers and their customers both remain challenged by the relentless increases in statutory outgoings. This requires policy makers to keep a tighter lid on the tax and regulatory costs under their control,' Lonsdale added. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The sales monitor also revealed that total store takings had increased by 5.6 per cent on an underlying, like-for-like basis - stripping out shop openings/closures and other factors - compared with April 2024. This rise was also above the three-month and 12-month average increases. Linda Ellett, UK head of consumer, retail and leisure at KPMG, which helps produce the monthly sales monitor, said: 'The pace of retail sales growth picked up in April, with Easter and the drier weather boosting clothing and garden related sales. But, over the last three months, Scottish retail sales have grown by only around 2 per cent on non-food items on average, compared to the year previous. 'Consumers tell us they are still taking steps to manage their household budgets, so retailers will need to focus on how they can continue to unlock spending over the coming months to keep the growth going - including capitalising on purchases related to strong summer holiday demand.'
Scotsman
15-05-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
SNP ministers told to ditch 'latte levy' on disposal coffee cups as tax will not come into force this year
Sign up to our Politics newsletter 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... Scottish ministers are being told to ditch their 'latte levy' proposals for good after it was confirmed the charge will not come into force this year. The Scottish Government wants to charge at least 25p on drinks such as tea and coffee sold in disposable cups. An estimated 388.7 million disposable cups are used in Scotland each year. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Scottish businesses had expected this charge to be brought forward this year, but it has now been confirmed this will not be happening. Disposable coffee cups are stacked on a table. Photo illustration by. |. Business leaders say imposing an extra charge on single-use cups will stop Scots buying takeaway drinks altogether as opposed to encouraging them to bring a reusable cup with them. They also say they are worried about independent retailers' ability to cover any extra costs. Ewan MacDonald-Russell, deputy head of the Scottish Retail Consortium, said: 'The cups levy remains a terrible idea, which deserves to be dumped in the bin. Adding a charge to drinks on the go is more likely to affect whether consumers buy the drink in the first place rather than encourage them to use a reusable cup. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'The idea consumers will treat cups the same way as shopping bags is implausible. The reality is many hospitality businesses cannot effectively offer reusable alternatives because they sell self-service drinks, deliver drinks or don't have the capacity to safely clean customers' cups.' He added: 'We're glad Scottish ministers have listened to our representations and those of shops and cafes and delayed bringing forward legislation. 'We hope the focus will now be on working collaboratively with industry on more realistic options to reduce single cup use - such as the national cup recycling scheme, borrow cup, and the use of discounts and rewards to incentivise the use of a reusable cup over a single-use one, along with investing in recycling capacity and infrastructure. 'Scotland's retailers want to encourage consumers to make more sustainable choices. That is best done by incentives rather than ineffective levies.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The Federation of Small Businesses said a 'latte levy' could put retailers off using disposable cups made from recycled materials. The Scottish Government has wanted to bring in a 25p levy on single-use cups Mo Razzaq, national president of the federation and owner of Premier Mo's in Blantyre, said: 'This could push coffee drinkers to larger outlets as they can absorb the tax better than smaller retailers.' He added: 'We are pleased that the Government is acting on Fed members' concerns. We agree that action is needed to better protect our environment, but this 'latte levy' is not the right way to go about it. 'Instead of adding at least 25p to the cost of disposable hot and cold drinks cups, Fed members believe that litter louts should be given heftier fines of £500 or £1,000 and community service picking up litter.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad A date of 2025 for this levy was included in a draft circular economy route map by the Government. However, no date was included in the final route map. The Scottish Government has now confirmed no levy will be brought in this year. A Government spokeswoman said: 'The Scottish Government is working closely with stakeholders to develop a single-use cups charge that is deliverable and allows businesses and consumers time to prepare.
The Herald Scotland
24-04-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Call for economic focus in Scotland's Programme for Government
Their call comes after the First Minister revealed he is pushing forward his Programme for Government to the start of May this year. During the same press conference last week, John Swinney admitted there is a risk Scotland could enter a recession this year due to the policy decisions taken by Donald Trump's administration. The US President imposed a 10% reciprocal tariff on all goods exported from the UK, along with the 25% global levy on car exports, but has since announced a delay to these plans. However, the SRC has said even before the recent 'global economic turbulence' caused by Trump's tariffs, Scotland's retailers faced challenging trading conditions. The body pointed to 'flatlining retail sales and flaccid levels of shopper footfall' with the additional issue of the cost of doing business 'continuing to spiral', with rises in non-domestic rates and employers' national insurance contributions adding £200 million to Scottish retailers' outgoings this year. SRC warned that any further statutory measures in the Programme for Government 'which compound the costs crunch retailers face are almost certainly going to be passed onto consumers through higher prices or reduced choice or convenience.' READ MORE: The group which represents Scottish businesses is calling on the Scottish Government to scrap plans to introduce a customer levy on single use disposable cups which it believes is 'deeply flawed'. They also want to see a 'sustained and enhanced' focus and funding from the Scottish Government on tackling retail crime, to prevent shoplifting, deter abuse towards shopworkers, and aid 'the vitality of high streets'. The group also wants to see a 'proportionate approach' to the regulation of food products high in fat, salt or sugar, and towards in-store restrictions on the promotion of alcohol. David Lonsdale, Director of the Scottish Retail Consortium, said: 'This is a period of flux and challenge for Scotland's private sector at a time of weak economic growth, rising statutory costs, and increasing geo-political tensions over trade and tariffs. There is significant value in positioning Scotland as a nation where Government makes stable, predictable, strategic decisions. 'We therefore hope the First Minister in his legislative programme will continue to adopt the New Deal for Business principles and avoid any unwanted surprises in terms of additional tax or regulatory measures. The focus should be on making Scotland the best place in the UK to grow a retail business.' Scottish Conservative business and economy spokesperson Murdo Fraser agreed with the SRC that boosting economic growth should be 'front and centre' of Mr Swinney's plans. The Tory MSP said: 'Growth is absolutely crucial to improve living standards, provide jobs and fund essential services. 'Scottish companies have to contend with Labour's national insurance tax increase and the SNP's hike in business rates. On top of that, they are being hit by higher energy prices, increased costs and a raft of regulation. 'The SRC are right to say growth should be front and centre, but the policies of Scotland's two left-wing governments are holding back firms that drive our economy.' He insisted that the Conservatives 'are the only party challenging the high taxes and wasteful spending of both Labour and the SNP, and arguing for policies that will allow businesses and the economy to thrive'. During a press conference last week, the First Minister said his legislative plans, which will be revealed on May 6, will be 'laser-focused' on delivery ahead of the 2026 Holyrood elections. Mr Swinney told journalists at Bute House his programme will be centred on his four key priorities which includes growing the economy. The Scottish Government has been contacted for comment.
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Mother's Day gifts boosted retail sales in Scotland
Mother's Day shopping gave retailers a sales boost in March, an industry body has said. Figures from the Scottish Retail Consortium show that between March 1 and April 5, total sales in Scotland increased by 0.3% compared with March 2024, when they had risen 2.8%. This was below the three-month average increase of 0.5% and above the 12-month average decrease of 0.8%, according to the SRC, which said that adjusted for inflation, there was a year-on-year increase of 0.7%. Easter and Holy Week were in March last year but fall in April 2025, and SRC deputy head Ewan MacDonald-Russell described the new data as a 'surprisingly strong performance' for March 2025. Beauty products and gardening sales were particularly popular in Scotland last month, according to analysts. Sales increased by 1.5% on a like-for-like basis compared with March 2024, when they had risen 2.1% – above the three-month average increase of 0.9% and above the 12-month average decrease of 0.4%, according to SRC data. READ MORE: Global fashion brand debuts first Glasgow store at Silverburn Leading outdoor retailer opens new store at Loch Lomond Liquidators appointed to operator of Scottish shopping centre Total food sales in Scotland decreased by 1.5% compared with March 2024, when they had increased 5.1%. This was below the three-month average increase of 0.6% and below the 12-month average decrease of 0.3%, the SRC said. Total non-food sales in Scotland increased by 1.7% compared with March 2024, when they had increased by 0.9% – above the three-month average increase of 0.5% and above the 12-month average decrease of 1.3%. Adjusted for the effect of online sales, non-food sales in Scotland increased by 2.0% compared with March 2024, when they had increased by 0.1%. This was above the three-month average increase of 1.1% and above the 12-month average decrease of 1.0%. Mr MacDonald-Russell said: 'Scottish retail sales saw a small rise in March, a surprisingly strong performance considering Easter fell in the comparative month in 2024. 'The rise was lifted by a marked increase in non-food sales, which offset the predictable fall in food sales. 'Mother's Day proved to be a boon for retailers with gifts and beauty products selling well. 'Computing and gaming sales continued to perform well, lifted by pre-orders of the new Nintendo Switch 2. 'These figures will hearten retailers who need good trading to counterbalance the turbulent economic news, and the significant public policy costs businesses are grappling with. 'With Easter still to come hopefully there will be more good news next month as well.' Linda Ellett, UK head of consumer, retail and leisure at KPMG, said: 'As spring arrived, house and garden related purchases and gifts for Mother's Day drove non-food retail sales growth in Scotland in March. 'Amidst downbeat consumer confidence in the UK's economic outlook, and many households facing rising costs, retail sales growth feels an achievement. 'But with non-food sales only climbing around half a per cent on average, competition means there are some retailers really struggling whilst others win, especially online. 'Scotland's retailers will be pushing for higher growth rates as we move toward summer and holiday season, particularly as they are now paying higher wage costs and facing volatility and potential impact on their supply chains due to global tariffs.'
