Tain reinvention 'will boost trade'
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BUSINESS leaders in the Highlands have admitted that Tain must "reinvent itself" in order to reverse the decline described by the local MP.
Jamie Stone recently expressed his concerns about the difficulties facing the town centre in letters to First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Prime Minister Theresa May.
However David Richardson, Highlands development manager for the Federation of Businesses, insisted that the current situation is merely years of projections coming to fruition.
He admitted that in order to combat the decline, town centres may have to undergo a transformation.
Mr Richardson said: "There is less and less socialising going on so we have to make towns more appealing.
"It may be the case that high streets have to move away from being shopping areas towards being more social spaces, where people can go for something to eat or have a drink.
"More and more towns are facing the same circumstances. The only way Tain can sustain itself is by making itself a place that attracts people from the surrounding areas. That may be what Tain has to do to make sure the High Street remains relevant."
Outlining his concerns to the First Minister and Prime Minister, the Lib Dem MP wrote that the current situation is a "bleak contrast" compared to days gone by.
However, Mr Richardson says the situation is one which is being replicated across Scotland.
He said: "Tain is suffering from the same difficulties that towns and villages across the country are experiencing as a result of large supermarkets being located on the outskirts, as well as the rise of online shopping.
"Tain has to show how it can react to those changes. Supermarkets and online shopping are here to stay.
"The FSB has been forecasting this change for years and it is now happening. High streets have to reinvent themselves."
