JOANNE COWAN

FRAGILE COMMUNITIES

​

“Built Environment Forum Scotland has identified small towns as a critical, but too often neglected component of Scotland’s built environment. They are too important to Scotland’s identity, its tourism and to the local economies and residents they serve. However, such places also seem to be facing major challenges in terms of retaining their services, as well as their character” (BEFS, 2012).

 

As a nation built up of many small towns, it is important to consider the prevailing issues, outlined by BEFS. They are the reality of many rural towns. Scotland Rural College research highlighted the most “vulnerable” towns in Scotland. Their study found that the highest concentration of vulnerable towns are in the south west. Drawing attention to Campbeltown which is listed as the most vulnerable town in Scotland. Campbeltown has a rich history, successful in various industries such as whisky, herring fishing, and the maintenance of a busy harbour from which steamships would deliver exports. These industries thrived on the connection to the city of Glasgow, supporting the town’s growth. The connection was equally as important to the city, as the town provided local food produce, and a holiday destination. This connection to Glasgow was important for many towns on the south west coast, including Rothesay and Girvan. Recently, these connections have become lost or broken, iowing to a number of factors. Physically, by the means of transport and infrastructure; through decreased tourism; and declined industry. Glasgow no longer depends on these towns and this has had a significant impact. The exploration of the disconnection between Glasgow and the remote, coastal towns of Campbeltown, Girvan and Rothesay will inform the analysis of the towns vulnerability. Similarly, larger towns such as Paisley has suffered similar decline. In close proximity to Glasgow it is still often overlooked. Paisley is currently undertaking a bid to become the City of Culture, 2021. Thought to be an effective catalyst for the regeneration. Therefore the town will act as a precedent for comparative analysis between the small towns of the west coast. This research will inform why these towns exist, why they are now considered vulnerable, and what this means for securing their future. In addition, the link between these towns and the wider network that they contribute to will be investigated, with the intention of identifying potential solutions that can be adapted to any small town suffering such deprivation. This will be led by the example of Paisley, and other successful towns locally.