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Features, News

In a cost of living crisis, how do we future proof our high streets?

By Gregor Boyd

According to research by Retail Economics, the UK is set to face the “sharpest decline in spending” over the Christmas period compared to all other countries sampled.

Now on the road to recovery after the Covid-19 pandemic, the UK is in a new period of uncertainty with a cost-of-living crisis and skyrocketing energy bills, meaning that the public is expected to tighten their purse strings and spend less this year at Christmas. It is reported that sales forecasts are down as many companies are already bracing for the impact of a lacklustre Christmas.

If you take a walk down your average high street, you’ll see the retail casualties of the pandemic. Large retail chains that were once a mainstay now lie empty, yet the possibilities for those derelict retail spaces are still endless.  What used to be a multi-level department store could become a shared hub for several different businesses. A notable example of transforming retail spaces into experience-led spaces is the former BHS in Leith’s Ocean Terminal which is now ‘Transgression Skatepark’. 

One organisation that is setting out a more positive approach to Scotland’s high streets is Scotland’s Towns Partnership. They aim to highlight the potential diversity that can be achieved to showcase each town’s own identity. 

Scotland’s Town Partnership also aims to encourage developing the current infrastructure to allow town centres and local communities to thrive.  On their website, they have several key developmental actions focusing on community-led regeneration, an emphasis on living in town centres, supporting the local economies, maintaining accessible public services, and working with local businesses and residents to revitalize our high streets by bringing them into the 21st century and planning for the future.

Despite the positive approach to future-proofing our high streets. The current financial issues are affecting not just people but also those already struggling high street businesses. Retail owners are continually speaking out about how the uncertainty might put their business in the ground unless things changed. With the UK government offering some help but seemingly not going far enough to mitigate the ongoing troubles, a bigger discussion surrounding the future of retail in town centres and high streets is essential if we are to come out the other end.

Speaking to Leigh Sparks who is the Deputy Principal (Education and Students) and Professor of Retail Studies at Stirling University. He offered his perspective on how the cost-of-living crisis could hamper the development of Scotland’s high streets. Leigh points out that patching up high streets and town centres might momentarily work but as commercial activities continue to disappear from high streets, a bigger fiscal change that challenges vested interests is needed.

More information can be found on Leigh’s blog at Stirlingretail

 

Opinion

Can Scotland mimic Portugal’s approach to the drug crisis?

By Gregor Boyd

For many years now. Scotland’s drug crisis has been widely reported on. According to the National  Record of Statistics in Scotland. The number of deaths has continued to rise. 2021 saw a slight decrease in the number of drugs with 9 less than the year before.

Dundee has been dubbed the drug capital of Europe. With drugs being readily available and even purchasable online. It’s never been easier to find a supply. Despite attempts by police to clamp down on it. The people of Scotland continue to suffer and the impact this causes on local health services that are already struggling. Attempts by campaigners to change the laws surrounding drugs have been met with resistance.

Treating it as a health problem and not a criminal issue is seen by many as the way forward, emulating the approach taken by Portugal. This revolutionary method was adopted as a policy in 2001.  The policy decriminalised all personal possession, consumption and acquisition of drugs. 

This approach removed the criminal nature associated with being caught using drugs. This health-based policy saw benefits with decreases in drug use, drug death and more people seeking treatment, leading to other countries wanting to adopt similar methods due to the popularity of the policy.

Scotland’s attempts to mitigate this crisis have seen campaigns supporting the idea of injecting clinics where users can safely dispose of needles. People in shops are also being trained on reversing opiate overdose with Naloxone kits. Despite the steps put forward by the Scottish govt on proposed Injecting clinics, this has been knocked back by the UK government. A working solution in countries such as Denmark and Canada is to keep needles off of streets, prevent unnecessary drug deaths and mitigate some of the dangers users may face when trying to inject.

The problems facing Scotland’s drug population were also exacerbated due to the Covid-19 pandemic as places took steps to mitigate the spread of the virus. The isolation people had to undertake made things harder for many addicts who might have depended on social interactions or in-person meetings.

The Minister for Drug Policy Angela Constance has been in touch with the newly appointed Conservative MP Jeremy Quin, Minister of State for Crime, Policing and Fire in an attempt to collectively work to address and tackle drug use across the United Kingdom.  The UK government’s hardline approach to the drug policy published earlier this year appears to be a 3 tier structure starting with Fixed Penalty notices moving upwards in severity to mandatory drug testing and awareness courses and finally, formal court proceedings resulting in potential confiscation of Passport/Driving Licence.

News

Independence rallies held in Scottish cities after supreme court ruling.

By Gregor Boyd

After the report from the supreme court ruled that Scotland cannot hold a referendum without Westminster’s approval. Several rallies were held throughout various parts of Scotland including Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee and Stirling.

The Stirling demo was small and didn’t have any official speakers from party affiliations despite purportedly being contacted. The demo’s low turnout was put down to the short notice of it.

One speaker gave a small speech before proceeding to pull out a guitar and play notable Scottish songs to get a singsong going. After offering up the platform for individuals to voice their consensus, one woman came up to speak, some technical difficulties arose which prevented a PA from being used so the women chose to speak without and encouraged unity.

The main theme of the demo was about uniting under a banner of independence from all party lines. The non-affiliated speaker took several potshots at SNP leadership which received some backlash from people within the crowd and the event fizzled out shortly after.

The demonstration went on with no major issues save for a couple of drive-by verbal heckles of God save the King.

Shortly after the ruling was returned, Nicola Sturgeon posted two tweets in response to the ruling stating that the UK supreme court doesn’t make law but only interprets it. As well as pointing out that a law that doesn’t allow Scotland to choose their own future without Westminster’s consent exposes as myth any notion of the UK as a voluntary partnership and makes the case for Independence.

She also noted that Scottish democracy will not be denied.

The event in Edinburgh was livestreamed online and featured several different speakers featuring Colin Fox of the SSP.

Large numbers turned out in Glasgow with various speakers and singers addressing a sea of saltire flags.

Over in Edinburgh, Nicola Sturgeon addressed a crowd of supporters outside of Holyrood and stated that “The UK is not a voluntary partnership of nations”.

It has been 8 years since Scotland voted to remain in the United Kingdom with a 55% vote returning No to the question of Scotland becoming independent.