Investment in Kirkcaldy continues despite challenges of pandemic

Labour councillor Neil Crooks, who is convener of Kirkcaldy Area Committee, said with investment the town will recover, but it will take time with the full impact of the coronavirus crisis still unclear.

His comments come after committee members were updated on projects carried out over 2019-2020 aimed at improving the town’s economy.

The report, from Peter Corbett, Fife Council lead economy officer, revealed a number of positive developments including:

Work progressing on the new Kingdom Park housing development in Kirkcaldy which will deliver 1,088 homes when fully completed by 2028;

The £1.6m Council-funded Waterfront Regeneration Project, aimed at better connecting the waterfront and the town centre, which is due for completion in April

The report also noted the positive work of ‘Love Oor Lang Toun’ Community Interest Company established in March 2020 which is helping to promote Kirkcaldy town centre and support traders’ Covid-19 adaptations. Local shopping trade appears to have been bolstered by the pandemic.

Members heard that a town centre strategy for Kirkcaldy is currently being developed which will see new residential developments planned for the gap site previously occupied by the Co-op and the former linen factory above the Olympia Arcade aim to support the re-purposing and diversification of the town centre.

And as part of the efforts to regenerate the zareas, the Postings’ steps have been repaired and upgraded. The improvements also include new lighting and street art.

Tolbooth Street has been fitted with a canopy of lights and there are plans for simpler improvements of planters and concealed bin stores.

Fife Cultural Trust’s proposed £3 million revamp of the Adam Smith Theatre is expected to start in the autumn of 2021 and finish by November 2022.

Fife Central Retail Park has also remained relatively buoyant, underpinned by the presence of the Sainsbury’s supermarket and M&S Food.

A new retail name should be added to the High Street in the coming months.

Concession store, 15-17 is scheduled to open in the spring after flood damage delayed its planned September launch.

The fledgling chain store brand aims to make use of the empty retail unit vacated by Debenhams to bring a mix of different retailers together under one roof, with a selection of small local businesses and bigger national names trading side-by-side.

A number of new start-up businesses have opened across town.

Paper bag manufacturers Smith Anderson reported a 16 per cent increase in turnover for the year ending September 2019 - Mr Corbett’s report also noted the new owners of the Dean Park Hotel in Kirkcaldy have completed a refurbishment and plans are in place for further expansion of its facilities next year.

Members are heard there has been a 9.9 per cent increase in the value of tourism in the Kirkcaldy area between 2018 and 2019, from £137 million to over £151 million.

The report noted an increase in the number of visitor trips by 4.8 per cent.

Mr Corbett said: “The work the tourism team has been doing has centred around the development of the Heartlands of Fife branding. We have also seen a significant increase in people using the local parks, beaches and coastline – all proving really popular during Covid restrictions. This something we are looking to build on, particularly when things start to improve again.”

Boosts came from a number of events in the Kirkcaldy area, more promotion of Kirkcaldy through the Heartlands of Fife and a particular push on promotion regarding Outlander which covers some of the Kirkcaldy area, putting it more on the Fife map for day and night visitors.”

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However, the report also highlighted some big challenges for the town.

These included:

The increase in vacancy rates in Kirkcaldy town centre which are second highest of Fife’s key town centres after Kincardine and Kirkcaldy’s employment rate is lower than both the Scottish and Fife averages.

Kirkcaldy has the second highest claimant rate (8.7 per cent) of Fife’s seven local committee areas and the highest number of claimants (3,200).

Members heard that since October 2019 Kirkcaldy’s claimant rate increased from 5.3 per cent to 8.7 per cent as the number of people claiming out-of-work benefits rose from 1,945 to 3,200 as a result of the pandemic.

Mr Corbett continued: “Resident earnings in the Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath area are higher than workplace earnings which suggests a proportion of residents are travelling to higher paid jobs outside the local area.”

He also said that Kirkcaldy has a considerably higher proportion of its working age population with no qualifications than the Fife and Scottish average.

Councillor Alistair Cameron said: “There are a lot of depressing figures in this report when you look at unemployment and the number of claimants.

"But employment is going to be a big part of our recovery. There is a lot of building work which could provide jobs in the coming months including the new extension to Victoria Hospital, the arcade, the Co-op gap site. There is progress being made.

"I commend the new start up businesses in Kirkcaldy High Street – we had 13 start up in the last few months prior to Christmas. There have been some positive things on the High Street.”

Councillor Crooks added: “There’s no getting away from the fact that the past year has brought us many challenges and although the full impact of the Covid-19 pandemic is still to emerge, but it’s important that we keep focussed and work towards our goals for Kirkcaldy.

"We need to keep the momentum going. ”

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