And yes, there are times when the newspaper is full of “criticisms.” That is not always a negative.
The public have freedom of speech and on occasion their criticism reminds those in leadership that the public are very interested in how their tax money is being spent. Any elected official or organisation should expect to be asked questions when it involves public funds. I agree with Mr Tooth’s comment that not enough people are visiting, spending or shopping in Dumfries. Why is that For one thing, there isn’t a good selection of shops. Gretna Gateway has a good selection of shops and people certainly shopped there over Easter. The chairman of the town’s retailers’ association doesn’t need to confirm that sales are down. The public may not be privy to all statistics or reports but they are not completely ignorant or insensitive to the fact that there are serious economic problems facing the shops and for some people their employment. Mr Tooth mentions the Burns Light event that attracted 17,000 plus people. The number is spectacular but once an event is over some of those numbers leave the area. They may spend during the event but more is needed to sustain the shops throughout the rest of the year. Events can attract visitors and locals but so do shops and right now we don’t have a good selection of shops. The public have already decided that by shopping elsewhere. The question for Margo Moffat in Mr Tooth’s letter was “What would you do” I would certainly make sure that regeneration projects were on schedule and finished in time. The Vennel traders are an example of lost revenue due to delays in the resurfacing programme of Friars Vennel. Another priority would be finding suitable businesses to fill those empty shops. We don’t need another charity shop or betting establishment. Creating positive links with an Italian town has its merits. However, numerous empty shops won’t encourage visitors to linger or even come back. I mentioned in my previous letter that smaller organisations would have loved to have the free rent etc at the Midsteeple. Perhaps I should have also included shop owners who are afraid they may not make it through another year. These are difficult times for everyone. There isn’t a one size fits all solution. Margo Moffat
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