40 businesses sign up to Kirkcaldy's pioneering ShopAppy project

One of the groups charged with leading Kirkcaldy town centre out of lockdown launched its first online business event this week.

The gathering comes as Love Oor Lang Toun becomes an established Community Interest Company (CIC) - a type of social enterprise which works with and represents the interests of the community.

The independent, community-led group, along with Greener Kirkcaldy, is working with Fife Council to bring new energy and ideas to the table and build on the buzz which has grown around the town c entre since lockdown restrictions started to ease.

On Thursday, it hosted its first monthly online business engagement online.

Cara Forrester, the driving force behind LOLT said: “Our aim is to help create a 21st century town centre people can be proud of and enjoy using.

“As well as celebrating our past we want to make the most of the present and be ambitious in creating a healthy, vibrant and sustainable town centre for the future.”

The group started during lockdown.

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In May it launched the pilot project ShopAppy Kirkcaldy - the first town in Scotland to sign up to the online marketplace. It now has 40 businesses involved.

ShopAppy is partnered with Visa, and thanks to funding from Fife Council, Love Oor Lang Toun is offering Kirkcaldy businesses the chance to try it for free until the end of March 2021.

There is also an opportunity to receive a £250 Transition to Trade Online grant, thanks to a partnership with Business Gateway Fife.

The group is also supporting the delivery of COVID-19 resilience and recovery projects following a successful bid by Fife Council from the Towns and BIDS Resilience Fund, administered by

Scotland’s Towns Partnership.

Added Cara: “Over the last few months we have seen how the business and wider community have pulled together and it's that sense of community we want to build on.

“Together we can ensure Kirkcaldy town centre continues to be a place where people want to be and spend time, which is good for everyone.”

She added: “It has been a fantastic first few months and we are so grateful for the support and partnerships that have helped us on our journey - bBut we’re just getting started!

“It is clear that to move forward together we need to listen and work together.

“This isn’t about one group or organisation working alone – this is about Kirkcaldy coming together, about finding new ways to work together to re-write the next chapter for our town.

“The future success of that is collective collaboration and we look forward to working alongside some of the talented individuals, amazing local businesses and groups and organisations in the town to make that happen.”

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