Town centres in Islay’s Bowmore and Cowal’s Dunoon are to receive an equal share of £600,000 awarded today to Argyll and Bute Council from the second tranche of the Scottish Government’s £60 million Town Centre Regeneration Fund (TCRF). This measure was the concession won by the canny Scottish Conservative leader, Annabel Goldie, in the pre-budget negotiations this year.

The awards announced today see Argyll receive to date a total of £1.5 million from the TCRF with Tarbert awarded £984,500 in the first tranche.

The immediate work now is to revise the plans for both town centres to fit the available funding. In Dunoon, the funding will complement the Dunoon Waterfront plans, part of the council’s CHORD programme. In Bowmore, the funding will support the refurbishment and upgrading of various town centre and harbour facilities.

A heartened Council Leader, Dick Walsh, says: ‘This is fantastic news for Argyll and Bute and a huge boost for the economies of Dunoon, Bowmore and the area as a whole.

‘This money will significantly progress our ambitious plans for economic development and regeneration across the area.

‘Our town centres are a key element of the economic and social fabric of Argyll and Bute, and we obviously want to see them reach their full potential.

‘This announcement will help support Argyll and Bute in its bid to remain at the forefront of boosting economic development during these challenging financial times, delivering the Government’s economic recovery plan and thereby creating employment and income for the area’.

For an area that lacks – and, topographically, cannot develop – a single centre to serve a population dispersed over a deeply indented mainland and the tens of inhabited islands it maintains, Argyll needs its major towns to be fit to serve their hinterlands energetically in every possible way.

The Council is due warm congratulations for its persistent efforts to secure funding to regenerate the first and second  ranks of these major towns.

Argyll’s MSP, Jim Mather, is also delighted. After the announcement of the awards made by his colleague Alex Neil, Housing and Communities Minister, Mr Mather was quick to congratulate the Council and the two towns on their collective success.

He said of Bowmore: ‘I am pleased to learn that Bowmore has secured an allocation of £300,000 from the Town Centre Regeneration Fund. This will enable cash to be spent on:

• a traffic management system
• the refurbishment of public toilets
• the replacement of pontoons and dredging at the harbour
• the creation of a play area for children
• the installation of a lift in the Public Hall.

‘Additionally,  provision can now be made for environmental enhancements in planting of flower beds and the provision of seating in open spaces’.

Of Dunoon, in offering the same congratulations to the town, Mr Mather said: ‘This will enable funding to be spent on”

• improvements to the all weather public performance area
• improved crossing facilities for pedestrians
• new information and directional pointers
• the upgrading of bus stop facilities.

Additionally there is to be a refurbishment of Castlehill Lodge with new seating installed and new footpaths to be created. All this will certainly enhance the visitor experience for visitors to Cowal and improve the town centre for residents’.

The Enterprise, Energy and Tourism Minister pointed out that: ‘Competition for this funding – totalling more than £60 million across Scotland – has been keen. Bowmore and Dunoon are to be congratulated on securing this additional funding that will undoubtedly result in a dramatic revitalisation of their townscapes and will be to the benefit of locals and visitors alike’.

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