Locate in Falkirk A guide for retail businesses Contents Introduction to Falkirk and the surrounding area Introduction to Falkirk The Falkirk area is £5 m regeneration of Falkirk’s Falkirk is home to two of and the surrounding area centrally located between Town Centre through the the world’s leading tourism ............................................3 Edinburgh and Glasgow, Townscape Heritage Initiative attractions which are with excellent motorway funded through Heritage transforming the Scottish Lottery Fund and Historic Key Economic and rail links, and has landscape: Growth Priorities Scotland. The Falkirk Wheel ............................................4 two international airports close by. (The largest funding award The Kelpies in Helix Park made by Heritage Lottery Transport and The Falkirk area has seen Fund and Historic Environment The significant growth in Connectivity major investment across a Scotland to any Scottish town tourism in the Falkirk area ............................................6 number of sectors which and will transform the historic (an increase of 51.6% between include: town centre for shoppers, 2009 & 2016) has resulted in Scottish Footprint Ranking £67 m Falkirk Council’s Tax tourists and retailers.) Falkirk Council developing the ............................................8 Incremental Finance scheme Falkirk Area Tourism Strategy £7.8 m redevelopment of 2015 - 2020 with ambitious to help fund essential Denny Town Centre. Town Centre Vision infrastructure upgrades. targets for further growth. .......................................... 10 £83 m Forth Valley College £43 m Helix Park home of new Falkirk campus due to the world famous Kelpies. Area Achievements complete Sept 2019. The Helix was funded by a .......................................... 12 Big Lottery Fund, and also As a result the area is received investment from its now seeing growth in Other Towns partner organisations. the business and .......................................... 14 tourism sectors. Falkirk’s population Falkirk is ranked has grown at more within the top than double the 6% of UK retail national rate over centres the last 20 years 2 3 Key Economic Average annual household spend is Growth Priorities above the Scottish average across all retail categories Falkirk’s key strengths are As a result the Falkirk Area Key Tourism in the chemical sector, Economic strategy 2015 -2020 high value manufacturing, identifies areas for growth Targets within our key sectors and the and logistics and there is The Falkirk Area Tourism need to diversify the economy a strong representation Strategy sets out ambitious further by building on newer targets which include: in all of these areas. The sectors such as Tourism, Falkirk area, however, finance and business services. To increase visitor expenditure is being transformed, in the Falkirk area by 20% These targets for growth are from the opening of over the next five years to outlined below: the Falkirk Wheel, 2020. • Grow the Falkirk economy, the delivery of Helix To increase overnight visitor boosting business formation Park and the Kelpies, accommodation (serviced and growth, fostering bedrooms and self-catering renewal of the area’s innovation, ensuring a units) in the Falkirk area by secondary school stock skilled workforce and 20% over the next five years and the regeneration of delivering skilled high value to 2020. Falkirk town centre all jobs. To develop a Falkirk Tourism demonstrate the area’s • Attract Investment to Partnership to take ownership commitment to change enhance the area’s of, to review and to implement and future growth. infrastructure, attract the strategy. business and realise in full the area’s economic potential. • Include all in our communities to access opportunities and make a full contribution to the area’s economy. 4 D Transport and Connectivity Road Dundee A90 Trainline P Perth Drive Times Edinburgh A9 1 hour Glasgow 50 minutes Stirling 30 minutes Dundee M90 1 hour 25 minutes S Stirling Aberdeen 2 hour 30 minutes M9 M80 F Airports By train Car parking Falkirk M876 Edinburgh Airport (20 miles) From Edinburgh to Falkirk Plenty of car parking spaces M80 M9 Glasgow Airport (33 miles) High (25 minutes) or Falkirk are provided throughout Grahamston - Town Centre Falkirk town centre, and all Glasgow Prestwick Airport Train Station (35 minutes) are within a short walking G E (56 miles) distance of all retail outlets. Glasgow Edinburgh From Glasgow Queen Street M8 to Falkirk High (20 minutes) Multi storey car parks are By car or Falkirk Grahamston located at the Howgate and (50 minutes) Callendar Square Shopping From Edinburgh - take the Centres and the Asda M9 towards Stirling, exit at From Stirling to Falkirk superstore. There are also car Junction 5 for Falkirk Grahamston (15 minutes) parks and on-street parking From Glasgow - take the From London direct to spaces throughout the town. M80 towards Stirling, exit at Falkirk Grahamston (5 hours) Many of the town’s car parks One of the most Junction 5 on M876 and follow or change at Edinburgh have been accredited with accessible areas the signs for Falkirk or Glasgow the Park Mark safer parking award. in Scotland - 60% From Carlisle and the South There are also services to - M74, M73, M80, M876 and Polmont Station, Larbert of the Scottish follow the signs for Falkirk Station and Camelon Station. population within From Perth and the North - A9, The planned electrification M9 towards Edinburgh, exit at of the rail service between an hour’s drive Junction 6 for Falkirk Glasgow and Edinburgh will reduce commuting times and By bus therefore further improve Falkirk’s connectivity between There are regular buses Scotland’s two largest cities. between Falkirk and Edinburgh, Glasgow, Stirling Falkirk town centre is a 2 to 3 and Fife. Falkirk town centre minute walk from Grahamston is a 2 to 3 minute walk from Station, and a 10 minute walk Falkirk Bus Station. from Falkirk High Station. 6 7 Town Centre Vision Falkirk offers a unique Falkirk town centre has seen BID Objectives: retail mix in a friendly the BID invest £2.6 million in location, with leading projects, events and initiatives 2016 - 2021 in the town centre from 2011 – national retailers and Promote - Falkirk as an exciting 2016. The BID business small renowned award-winning and dynamic place to shop, live grants scheme has grown in and work. family run independent uptake and has meant almost businesses, and is £100,000 of investments in Enhance - and maintain also home to one of individual businesses. Falkirk attractiveness and cleanliness the leading Business Delivers were successful in throughout the town centre. Improvement Districts their renewal ballot in 2016, Work - with relevant partners to (BID) in Scotland - Falkirk meaning that the scale of deliver a safe and vibrant town Delivers. investment seen from 2011-16 centre. will continue until 2021. As well as successfully delivering Ensure - Falkirk meets and the BID key objectives, Falkirk exceeds expectations as a visitor Delivers are developing a 10 destination. year Town Centre Strategy. Identify - additional funding streams, including establishing a social enterprise. Inspire - visitors to enjoy the town centre from day to night. Create - an environment in which businesses are informed, There are over 580 integrated and represented. Falkirk is in the businesses in the top twenty of the traditional core of 468 retail centres the town centre in Scotland 8 9 Falkirk Market Summary Comparison Retail Mix Goods Market 54% Market Share: 39% . £122m 9.9% 7% £ % Positioning Market Value Mass Premium 35% 61% 4% Scotland UK 18th 238th 27% Top 4% of Top 6% of 0% Scottish centres UK RF centres Rf Catchment Acorn Profile: Current 6% Affluent Achievers 21% 10% Rising Prosperity 6% 11% Comfortable Communities 16% 6% Falkirk achieves Financially Stretched 37% 13% a market share of 9.9%, above its Urban Adversity 20% 26% Minor Class average Product Category Product Falkirk Falkirk Scotland Minor Class Average Source: Retail Footprint, Acorn 10 11 Area Achievements Falkirk Delivers Below you will find a list of Visit Falkirk nationally recognised awards; Awards Cleanest Town in Scotland Awards for 6 consecutive years Falkirk Delivers is the first Celebrating Success 2015 Beautiful Scotland BID in Scotland to have a 4 x Silver Winners Team of the Year successful historic 3rd ballot Visit Falkirk Beautiful Scotland in June 2016. Falkirk town 2 x Silver Gilt Winners Celebrating Success 2015 centre businesses voted for Association of Town and City ‘Commended’ the BID to continue after Management (ATCM) - Developing the Service Improvement of the Year Night Time Economy Award Winner 8 years of projects and Visit Falkirk initiatives and has established Test Town Falkirk strong partnerships with 2 top 3 places in Carnegie Trust Winner of Visit Scotland Expo private, public and third TestTown National Finals 2015 2016 Best Destination Stand, sector partners, to enable the British High Street of the Year Runner Up 2015 Most Appealing Stand & delivery and growth of key 6 Best Bar None National Winners, 2014 Best Dressed Stand. initiatives, to stimulate the Best Bar, Best Independent Pub & Heart of the Community Awards Visit Scotland Thistle Awards progression and improvement Regional Finalist 2015/16, ATCM Digital Engagement Award of both the day and evening 2016/17 economy, and to continue British Institute of Innkeepers (BII) Social Responsibility Award Winner for to change the perception of the taxi Marshal Service Award