{"id":1429,"date":"2013-09-10T23:16:30","date_gmt":"2013-09-10T22:16:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/abbeylandsresidents.org.uk\/?p=1429"},"modified":"2020-02-07T18:35:41","modified_gmt":"2020-02-07T18:35:41","slug":"destination-dunbar-or-dormitory-town","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ourlocality.org\/abbeylands\/destination-dunbar-or-dormitory-town\/","title":{"rendered":"Destination Dunbar"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"
Have we been missing a trick?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

My presentation notes.<\/p>\n

The fortunes of High streets have always waxed and waned, but the most recent decline of high streets seems inexorable and attempts to reverse it labelled by some as “mission impossible”. But the decline started long before the rise of the internet and comparison shopping, or out of town shopping became a popular pass time, but I am not here to give you a history lesson, except to say that the reasons for the decline are complex and not simple. They are rooted as much in changing attitudes and behaviours – the way we shop, work, play and holiday, as in changes in the economy, and for the that read also changes in technology, in the widest sense.<\/p>\n

Maybe there was a time when things were good, but I am inclined to think that this is a figment of our collective imagination, romanticised by TV soaps like Candleford.<\/p>\n

So what are residents key issues? They are multifaceted and contain a lot of constants – resident parking, dog fouling, others’ inconsiderate parking. It depends also where you live exactly, who your neighbours are and to an extent where you are at – life stage. Older folk are most concerned about ASB, and if you live next to a pub or a Co-op, noise will be an issue rather than an annoyance. What is interesting is that all life stages and economic groups are represented on our high street – from professionals to artists, from young struggling families to empty nesters, from singles to pensioners.<\/p>\n

They are united by the idea that it should be a good place to live.<\/p>\n

Over the last year I have spoken to literally hundreds of these individuals. Never before have residents been so passionate about where they live, and concerned about the fortune of their High Street, yet never before have they felt so distant and unengaged by the powers that be.<\/p>\n

So I hope that today is the beginning of a new approach, that sees residents at the heart of decisions taken about our high street – I sincerely hope we are not going to be told by ELC officers that they have dusted down some old plans.<\/p>\n

A logical way forward is through a residents group forms to present the voice for high street addresses and associated backlands.<\/p>\n

Dunbar Conservation Area must be at the heart of a fresh initiative to take things forward. It should not be seen as a hindrance, but as a key advantage.<\/p>\n

Residents can work with the local business association to make things happen, and that this relationship is symbiotic rather than parasitic.<\/p>\n

What are Dunbar\u2019s Key Assets? The High Street itself, closes and the harbour, its beautiful buildings, its rich and chequered history.<\/p>\n

The people that live here<\/p>\n

Can the residents help to be a catalyst for change that previous endeavours have failed to deliver?<\/p>\n

I contend they can.<\/p>\n

I then set out a vision for Dunbar, and a potential way of taking things forward, using the vehicle of a Business Improvement District.<\/p>\n

The presentation closed asking the audience whether they wanted Dunbar to become a dormitory town or something else?<\/p>\n

The presentation follows (credit for the signage Crown Copyright, Department for Transport).<\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.scribd.com\/doc\/167136595\/Destination-Dunbar<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

My presentation notes. The fortunes of High streets have always waxed and waned, but the most recent decline of high streets seems inexorable and attempts to reverse it labelled by some as “mission impossible”. But the decline started long before the rise of the internet and comparison shopping, or out of town shopping became a … Continue reading Destination Dunbar<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":155,"featured_media":1432,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1429","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-opinion"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ourlocality.org\/abbeylands\/files\/2013\/09\/Dunbar-Destination-e1689691348818.jpg?fit=1000%2C808&ssl=1","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2212,"url":"https:\/\/ourlocality.org\/abbeylands\/the-decline-and-decline-of-tourism\/","url_meta":{"origin":1429,"position":0},"title":"The decline and decline of tourism","author":"templar","date":"July 22, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"I met an engaging old lady the other day\u00a0while I was\u00a0sweeping away the debris of vomit, fag ends and takeaway detritus brought up by the\u00a0predictable\u00a0Friday or Saturday night tide, which day I cannot remember exactly. She asserted, with great gravitas, and perhaps\u00a0some authority as she is a genuine local, that\u00a0the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/ourlocality.org\/abbeylands\/topics\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Dunbar Tourism 1970s","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ourlocality.org\/abbeylands\/files\/2015\/07\/DunbarTourism.png?fit=1000%2C687&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ourlocality.org\/abbeylands\/files\/2015\/07\/DunbarTourism.png?fit=1000%2C687&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ourlocality.org\/abbeylands\/files\/2015\/07\/DunbarTourism.png?fit=1000%2C687&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ourlocality.org\/abbeylands\/files\/2015\/07\/DunbarTourism.png?fit=1000%2C687&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":515,"url":"https:\/\/ourlocality.org\/abbeylands\/the-greater-good-the-case-for-convenient-parking\/","url_meta":{"origin":1429,"position":1},"title":"The greater good: the case for convenient parking","author":"templar","date":"June 30, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"There are 2 stakeholders whose views won\u2019t be heard very loudly in this minority debate about parking versus social housing at Abbeylands. \u00a0The people who could occupy the accommodation that may now not be built, whose voice usually goes unheard. When it is, there\u2019s always an unhealthy voyeuristic angle to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/ourlocality.org\/abbeylands\/topics\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"The problem with parking","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ourlocality.org\/abbeylands\/files\/2012\/05\/DSC_0288-001-300x201.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1194,"url":"https:\/\/ourlocality.org\/abbeylands\/establish-trees-on-dunbar-high-street\/","url_meta":{"origin":1429,"position":2},"title":"Establish trees on Dunbar High Street","author":"templar","date":"September 3, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago.The second best time is now.\u2019Anonymous With heaps of published evidence that trees provide multiple benefits to people and the environment, especially in urban settings you'd think our streets would be choking with them. Street trees seem to me to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Opinion"","block_context":{"text":"Opinion","link":"https:\/\/ourlocality.org\/abbeylands\/topics\/opinion\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ourlocality.org\/abbeylands\/files\/2013\/09\/tree-protection.png?fit=600%2C412&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ourlocality.org\/abbeylands\/files\/2013\/09\/tree-protection.png?fit=600%2C412&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ourlocality.org\/abbeylands\/files\/2013\/09\/tree-protection.png?fit=600%2C412&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1987,"url":"https:\/\/ourlocality.org\/abbeylands\/the-conservation-premium\/","url_meta":{"origin":1429,"position":3},"title":"The Conservation Premium","author":"templar","date":"November 7, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"With\u00a0over 600 designated throughout Scotland\u00a0and\u00a0a staggering 9,800 in England, Conservation Areas afford protection to the cr\u00e8me de la cr\u00e8me of our built heritage and environment, for which there is seemingly no direct market. 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