Published: Tuesday, 30th March, 2010 2:41pm

Galashiels haunted by ghost town fears

by Ally McGilvray

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A RESTAURANT owner has questioned what the future holds for the town centre in Galashiels following a number of shop closures in the past year.

Ansar Miah, who runs Spice of India, in Market Street, has written to Scottish Borders Council to ask what it is doing to support local businesses ravaged by the recession.

It follows the revelation that the number of empty shops in Galashiels has more than doubled in the past two years.

In December 2007, there were 17 vacant retail units in the town, but by December 2009, when the latest research was carried out, this had rocketed to 37.

Speaking to the Border Telegraph this week, Mr Miah posed the question: "What is here for visitors other than two giant superstores?

"When I moved to Galashiels 10 years ago the town was busy and vibrant and attracted tourists from all over."

But he added: "Now local businesses are suffering, many have closed or moved away and many more are about to close."

Fears have been voiced that parts of Galashiels have become a ghost town since supermarket giants Asda and Tesco opened their new 24-hour superstores on the edge of the old shopping centre.

Earlier this month it was confirmed that Boots the chemists was the latest shop to announce it was closing its town centre store in Channel Street and moving to a vacant unit in the retail park.

Mr Miah said: "Why is this happening and what does the future hold for Galashiels? If we no longer have a High Street, how can we continue to attract visitors to the area? Something has to be done about it to save the local community."

Campaigners have called on the council to review its car parking charges amid claims that the supermarkets - who offer their customers up to three hours free parking - have an unfair advantage over their competitors in the old town centre where motorists are charged for parking.

It is understood the local authority considered waiving the charges at the High Street car park behind Iceland but the brakes were put on the plans amid fears it would drive visitors away from the area.

Scottish Borders Council's Executive Member for Economic Development, Councillor Vicky Davidson, said: "It is a difficult time for traders all over the country.

"I think Galashiels, in particular, has undergone a period of transition over the past two years as less and less people use the town centre for the weekly shop."

But she added: "What I have suggested to the council is that we have to have a proper look at how we market our towns and attract more people into them although there is no easy answer."

The Selkirkshire Councillor pointed out it could be argued the edge of town centre retail developments attracted more shoppers into the town, along with plans to build a new railway station in Galashiels. But she said the council would continue to work with traders to discuss how to attract visitors back to the old town centre.

"It has been suggested that we should look at scrapping car parking charges if we want to attract people back into town," she said. "But if we introduced free parking all our car parks would be full all the time and no one would be able to find a space which, for the shops, would make things worse."

Meanwhile, it has emerged that traders in Melrose could follow Hawick by introducing their own currency to help local shops and businesses to survive the recession.

It follows concern from traders over the competition they face from larger retailers outside the town.

Last week, Hawick became the first town in Scotland to launch its own currency in an attempt to boost the local economy.

A pilot scheme for the "Hawick Pound" was launched to try to encourage more people to shop locally. But, at a meeting of Melrose Community Council last week, it emerged traders have mooted the idea of introducing the Melrose Pound.

They are also looking at improving signage on the main roads into the town to stop motorists bypassing the area.