SNP BUSINESS SUPPORT PLAN DELIVERS LESS THAN 1% EXTRA CASH, CLAIMS BAILLIE

By Democrat reporter

Dumbarton Labour parliamentary candidate Jackie Baillie, pictured right, has said that the SNP business support plan does not do anywhere near enough to support struggling local businesses.

This comes as the SNP released its proposals to support Scottish businesses recovering from Covid.

However, of the £1bn set out in the package, only £10m extra is a new announcement – less than 1%.

The package of support announced consists of:

£719m worth of rates relief, as agreed in the February budget update
£275m over 5 years for town centre revitalisation, as announced in last year’s Programme for Government
A new £10m “Scotland Loves Local” fund.

Scottish Labour’s Deputy Leader Jackie Baillie said: “Scotland’s businesses and high streets have been devastated by Coronavirus, but all the SNP is willing to offer them next term is a measly £10 million extra.

“We have so many businesses in our local area – including a significant number within the hospitality and tourism sectors – who need far more than what the SNP is willing to offer them.

“Businesses are struggling, with many having received little or no support during the pandemic, and this pitiful offering falls well short of what is needed.

“After 14 years in Government and seven years as the First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon is clearly out of ideas.

“Once again she has had to resort to recycling existing policies in an attempt to hide the pathetic offer she is actually making to Scotland’s businesses.

“Scottish businesses deserve better than an extra 1%, and Scotland deserves better than the SNP.

“Scottish Labour is committed to delivering a national recovery plan that will support businesses, revitalise high streets and get our economy back on track.”

Dumbarton High Street is a dump. No ifs, no buts, it is a dump. Run down, dilapidated, empty shops, half empty sixties style concrete monstrosity, the area is a badge of poverty, deprivation and economic decline.

As a tourist attraction, forget it. Once seen it only serves to reinforce that Dumbarton is a dump best avoided.

Am I being hard when I say this. No of course I’m not it is true. Yes there is a lot to commend Dumbarton in it’s history but the High Street is not it.

The conversion of the old school to council offices was a start in trying to do something with the area. And the proposals to upgrade Glencairn House is another well intentioned initiative, But does any tourist want to trek down a run down bomb site of broken empty buildings. Of course not.

What is needed is real money injected into rejuvenating the area.

Toni Gulianno the SNP candidate for the May elections recently initiated a survey. But that I’m afraid was just some election campaigning smoke and mirrors to gain attention and garner some voter information.

Far better if he had come saying he would get the government to make the High Street an Action Area. But this takes real initiative. The High Street is owned by multiple owners most of whom who have no financial resources to spend millions on renovating their property.

A bit like the Glasgow slums of the 80’s where tenement housing had become some of the worst in Europe. But to resolve, the Government of the day, through legislation, made many areas in Glasgow action areas where slum property was brought into public ownership with thereafter the government pumping in millions to utterly renovate whole areas. No longer the bulldozer to replace tenements with poor quality houses that would be some thirty years later demolished,but rather, a restoration of the sandstone heritage made new.

And an exemplar of this has to be Partick where it missed the bulldozer to be brought back to life whereas Govan and large swathes of Maryhill were demolished. And of the areas where new poor quality housing was the replacement, one need look no further than much of the sixties and seventies housing built in and around Dumbarton now demolished.

But back to the Dumbarton High Street. It could be something again. With a castle, a lovely park, a river, one of the oldest houses in Scotland it could be come something again – but it will take money. Talking about it in the prelude to an election doesn’t cut it. Rather it cynically exposes the nature of politicians seeking election. Just like the Save the Vale campaign in fact too.

So lets here it from the politicians. When are they going to legislate and fund life back into the Dumbarton High Street – or will it just remain as a slum blot on the edge of the National Park and an area with so much history and heritage.

One comment

Billie says:

April 12, 2021 at 9:19 am

Dumbarton High Street is a dump. No ifs, no buts, it is a dump. Run down, dilapidated, empty shops, half empty sixties style concrete monstrosity, the area is a badge of poverty, deprivation and economic decline.

As a tourist attraction, forget it. Once seen it only serves to reinforce that Dumbarton is a dump best avoided.

Am I being hard when I say this. No of course I’m not it is true. Yes there is a lot to commend Dumbarton in it’s history but the High Street is not it.

The conversion of the old school to council offices was a start in trying to do something with the area. And the proposals to upgrade Glencairn House is another well intentioned initiative, But does any tourist want to trek down a run down bomb site of broken empty buildings. Of course not.

What is needed is real money injected into rejuvenating the area.

Toni Gulianno the SNP candidate for the May elections recently initiated a survey. But that I’m afraid was just some election campaigning smoke and mirrors to gain attention and garner some voter information.

Far better if he had come saying he would get the government to make the High Street an Action Area. But this takes real initiative. The High Street is owned by multiple owners most of whom who have no financial resources to spend millions on renovating their property.

A bit like the Glasgow slums of the 80’s where tenement housing had become some of the worst in Europe. But to resolve, the Government of the day, through legislation, made many areas in Glasgow action areas where slum property was brought into public ownership with thereafter the government pumping in millions to utterly renovate whole areas. No longer the bulldozer to replace tenements with poor quality houses that would be some thirty years later demolished,but rather, a restoration of the sandstone heritage made new.

And an exemplar of this has to be Partick where it missed the bulldozer to be brought back to life whereas Govan and large swathes of Maryhill were demolished. And of the areas where new poor quality housing was the replacement, one need look no further than much of the sixties and seventies housing built in and around Dumbarton now demolished.

But back to the Dumbarton High Street. It could be something again. With a castle, a lovely park, a river, one of the oldest houses in Scotland it could be come something again – but it will take money. Talking about it in the prelude to an election doesn’t cut it. Rather it cynically exposes the nature of politicians seeking election. Just like the Save the Vale campaign in fact too.

So lets here it from the politicians. When are they going to legislate and fund life back into the Dumbarton High Street – or will it just remain as a slum blot on the edge of the National Park and an area with so much history and heritage.

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