Recent years have seen a decline in high streets across Scotland, with online shopping and out-of-town retail parks contributing to the issue. One of the hardest hit areas has been Paisley, in Renfrewshire, where major brands like M&S, McDonald’s, and Argos have left the town centre. However, the area has received investments worth a total of around £100m, and these changes are beginning to make a difference.
The refurbished Paisley Town Hall now serves as an entertainment venue, and a new library has opened on the site of a derelict shop. Later this year, a refurbished arts centre is set to open, and a redeveloped Paisley Museum is planned for 2022, with Renfrewshire Council estimating that it will bring in 125,000 visitors annually. These developments are aimed at increasing tourism and tempting more people to visit or live in the town centre.
Local business owners in Paisley have expressed hope that the investments will be successful, despite challenges such as the loss of Marks & Spencer’s outlet store. Some have raised concerns about council plans to remove free parking, which could undermine the town’s progress. Businesses like Houston Kiltmakers and Paisley Gift Cart have benefited from direct investments in store refurbishments, which paid for up to 90% of the cost of restoring shopfronts using original architecture.
The success of Paisley’s revival may depend on its ability to develop new services and facilities alongside the restoration of historical storefronts. A proposed plan for redeveloping the Paisley Centre, a declining shopping centre in the High Street, includes transforming it into residential flats, a hotel, and a health centre. Similar schemes are underway in other areas of Scotland, such as East Kilbride, Falkirk, and Clydebank. Some experts suggest this may be an important step in restoring town centres across the country.
Achieving this goal would require engaging local communities and business owners in the development process. The push for change would need to be led by councils with a commitment to stopping the spread of out-of-town retail parks. There is no one-size-fits-all solution for tackling the decline in high streets, but with the right leadership, vision, and collaboration, revitalization is possible
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