Abbeylands Residents

Yesterday I wrote a short piece on how we could relatively easily improve Dunbar’s High Street environment through some well targeted and concerted action on some of the obvious environmental bads.  Hardly rocket science and it certainly doesn’t need a government report to tell you how, though I await with anticipation Malcolm Fraser’s report on the revival of Scotland’s High Streets, which must be due very soon now.

My follow up piece reflects on the plight of traders, that loose coalition of the dispossessed consumed by the creative destruction of capitalism [1. a deliciously ambiguous metaphor for innovation coined by the Austrian economist, Schumpeter] and latterly by recession.  Or maybe it is the beginning of the end of capitalism, as some say the destruction is greater than what is being created, that much worse is to come.  Or perhaps things aren’t quite as bad as they were in the the seventies and eighties, which saw fundamental transformations of the economy with devastating consequences for entire communities.

Continue reading 8 things to improve the shopping experience in Dunbar

When Crabbies finally opens its new store in Dunbar, one of 2 things is likely to occur. People will either abandon Dunbar High Street for the supposedly higher quality, better value, more welcoming and safer shopping experience out of town; or – and I put my money on the this – more people will come to the High Street to check out what else is on offer in Dunbar.

The trouble is right now I reckon those people might well be disappointed.  They might well also complain there is nowhere obvious to park or worse – with some notable exceptions – conclude there is nothing to much do, particularly if they swing by on a Saturday afternoon or a Sunday.  

Continue reading 8 things that would make Dunbar High Street more welcoming to locals and visitors alike

Launching across Scotland today the 21st February 2013, a new non-emergency number – 101 – that will replace the vast range of existing police force non-emergency numbers.

The introduction of the 101 non-emergency number will give people a new way to contact the police, seek advice, speak to a local officer or to report a crime that does not need an emergency response, for example:

* car theft
* damage to property
* a minor traffic collision
* suspected drug use or dealing
* information about crime in their area

The 101 non-emergency number is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It costs a flat rate of 15p per call and will connect the public to a police service centre in their local area. The number has already been launched successfully in England and Wales and is widely used.

Continue reading Launch of new police 101 non-emergency number

Not content with allowing the otherwise attractive cobbled sets forming the crossings on Dunbar’s Historic High Street to fall into disrepair, East Lothian Council have finally decided to remove them. The reasoning is a bit opaque. No doubt pedestrians were asked about this in an unrepresentative vox pop survey of resident’s views – would you like the cobbles removed? Option 1: YES Option 2: YES. Or – perhaps it was the quiet lobbying by the local Police, Taxi companies and other clubs who, tacitly supported by the Roads are for Cars Department, and hated the very idea of granite sets all along?

Just recently, the Roads Department of ELC felt it important that residents of Parsons Pool be consulted on a minor road improvement scheme. I say minor, it was pretty important to the residents, who rolled up their sleeves and got very much involved in redesigning their own street. Top marks to the council and to the residents for bothering. The roads were seemingly in a poor state of repair, and the greens looked like they needed beating up / replanting – along with some of the front gardens!

Continue reading Dunbar High Street Crossings – another win win for drivers