Last week, one of the biggest conversations among Scottish businesses was the topic of pedestrianisation in Edinburgh, in particular around the city’s famous George Street.
The plans are part of the Edinburgh City Centre Transformation strategy, with £36m in place to be spent on a redesign of the area, with traffic set to be banned from George Street from 2027 onwards.
The aim of the revamp is to create more people-friendly spaces as well as promoting accessibility, walking and cycling within the New Town area – however there are concerns about how this will affect local businesses in the area.
Some business owners have highlighted the issue of access for deliveries as well as expressing concerns around their staff feeling safe getting to and from work, especially at night.
While no general motorists or public transport users will be able to use George Street, the plans do say there will still be access for deliveries and taxis between 7pm and 10am.
The aim of the revamp is to create more people-friendly spaces as well as to promote accessibility within the New Town area – a great idea in principle so long as it’s not at a cost to local businesses.
Provided their concerns are listened to and taken on board, the result could be incredibly positive for the city overall as it’s claimed the transformation will generate £95m for the economy.
This is despite the loss of revenue from parking which, in 2019/20, amounted to a total of £1.7m, as 240 parking bays will be removed.
Similar to Sauchiehall Avenue in Glasgow, which was completed in 2019, Edinburgh’s new-look George Street will feature a “European style cycling street” with widened pavements and splashes of greenery with shrubs and trees.
The regeneration of the area is part of the council’s aims to reduce car use in the city and help to facilitate more sustainable modes of transport as well as creating a greener and healthier place to live, work and socialise.
In my opinion, it seems like the benefits outweigh the concerns however it is important that business owners affected by the major changes have the chance to voice their opinions so compromise solutions can be found where possible.
This isn’t the first time these types of discussions have been had in major cities as Sauchiehall Street shows, and indeed there are still conversations ongoing in Aberdeen surrounding Union Street.
In the summer, Aberdeen councillors voted against pedestrianisation of the central section of the street, instead opting for a proposal to introduce just two lanes which can be used by buses, cyclists, taxis and service vehicles.
As with Edinburgh, the main concerns were around accessibility, public transport and of course cost.
My take from all of this is that there’s never a one-size-fits all solution. What works in one city wno’t necessarily suit the needs of another so it’s important that all parties work together to find constructive solutions.
The prospect of disruption in the short term may be daunting but it’s important to remember these long-term projects can bring significant economic benefits in the long term.
This is crucial at a time when cities are still recovering from the pandemic and the mass exodus of people who began working from home, leaving many typically busy streets deserted for months on end. Yes, we’re recovering but we’re not quite there yet.
For Edinburgh it appears that this could be a positive way forward which will transform this public space while reducing traffic and congestion – which will, in turn, help towards meeting sustainability objectives. I am looking forward to seeing the results and the transformation.
Scottish Business Week Boosts Morale Amid Confidence Dip
I was pleased to hear that more than 1,200 business owners and aspiring start-ups signed up for this year’s Scottish Business Week event, despite recent statistics showing business confidence in the country has fallen.
The free annual event, delivered by Business Gateway and its national support partners, saw a fantastic turnout. More than 40 webinars and masterclasses were presented, offering advice to anyone that has (or aspires to have) a business.
I’ve always been vocal about the importance of networking and looking to mentors for guidance when it comes to business decisions and identifying opportunities.
So, it was great to see that people aren’t being put off about their own start-up or growth journeys – even as we continue to see a less optimistic outlook when it comes to entrepreneurial ventures.
According to the latest Business Barometer from Bank of Scotland Commercial Banking, companies in Scotland reported lower confidence in their own business prospects month-on-month, down 11 points at 22 per cent.
When taken alongside their optimism in the economy, down 10 points to minus-14 per cent, this gives a damning confidence reading of just five per cent.
Despite this, the resilience of the Scottish business community appears to remain strong, proving that hurdles won’t count when it comes to entrepreneurial spirit.
Businesses in Scotland, despite the challenges they face, are the lifeblood of the country’s economic growth and it’s important we keep going even throughout these turbulent times.
Building professional relationships are an essential part of growing a business so it’s great to see that people are still interested in doing so in the quest to make their ideas grow and thrive.
It Made Me Laugh
When it comes to coming up with new ideas for beauty contests, the search for the country’s ugliest dog is one of the most bizarre ones I’ve heard of yet.
The fetching idea has come from photography firm Parrot Print, after the company launched a nationwide search for a mutt with a face that ‘only a mother could love.’
Apparently once the ever-flattering accolade for ugliest mutt is handed out, the winning pooch will receive a free professional before-and-after makeover alongside a photo session.
The mind boggles, and makes me ask, what next? But I’ve got to hand it to Parrot Print, it’s certainly an interesting way to raise your company profile.
I just hope the poor winner doesn’t end up terrier-ing itself up about it afterwards.
It Made Me Weep
As the popularity of the beloved Sunday Roast dwindles, might we be waving goodbye to another food tradition of chocolates at Christmas?
Festive sweetie makers Nestle warned that the brand will be rolling out further price rises across its products in the run-up to the festive season, blaming spiraling inflation as the cause.
We’ve already heard about other food and drink brands such as PepsiCo and Doritos increasing their sale prices as the grim reality of the cost-of-living crisis smacks at all levels.
And it appears that Scottish retailers are preparing for tough Christmas trading, after figures by the Scottish Retail Sales Monitor showed that inflation increases will cancel out real-terms growth in sales.
Let’s ho-ho-hope things get better!
