Hamilton Town Centre “Our Town, Your Voice” Report Angela Crawley MP Christina McKelvie MSP Lanark and Hamilton East Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse Hamilton Town Centre “Our Town, Your Voice” Report Angela Crawley MP and Christina McKelvie MSP To the late Councillor Lynn Adams – for all the work we still have to do. Produced by: Rhona McCormick Sean McLaughlin David Russell Josh Wilson Picture credits: David Hunter Production allowable under expenses of the UK and Scottish Parliaments. TABLE OF CONTENTS FOREWORD BY ANGELA CRAWLEY MP .............................................................................. 4 FOREWORD BY CHRISTINA MCKELVIE MSP ........................................................................ 5 CONSULTATION RESULTS ............................................................................................... 6 Q1: What best describes you? .................................................................................................................... 6 Q2: How satisfied are you with Hamilton Town Centre? ............................................................................ 9 Q3: What is your opinion of parking charges in Hamilton? ..................................................................... 10 Q4: What is your opinion of the one way system currently operating in Hamilton? ............................... 13 Q5: What is your opinion of business rates in Hamilton Town Centre? ................................................... 16 Q6: What changes would most improve Hamilton Town centre? ............................................................ 18 ACCESSIBILITY ............................................................................................................ 21 Parking charges in Hamilton..................................................................................................................... 21 Traffic management ................................................................................................................................. 22 AFFORDABILITY .......................................................................................................... 23 Business rates ........................................................................................................................................... 23 PROJECTS ................................................................................................................. 25 Open spaces .............................................................................................................................................. 25 Events ....................................................................................................................................................... 25 Premises and social enterprise ................................................................................................................. 27 ASPIRATIONS FOR THE FUTURE ...................................................................................... 29 HAMILTON BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.................................................................. 30 HAMILTON: THE UNIVERSITY TOWN ............................................................................... 31 CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................. 32 Foreword By Angela Crawley Member of the UK Parliament for Lanark and Hamilton East constituency, SNP Westminster spokesperson for Women, Equalities and Children I grew up in Hillhouse and have lived in Hamilton all my life. For that reason I have a real stake in the not stop changes in consumer behaviour, but we future of the town. will offer innovative, well thought out and structured proposals for local change. This project stemmed from a special investigation conducted by the Hamilton Advertiser, citing 45 If simple changes are made to parking, business empty business premises in the town – 15% of the rates and traffic management and our available shops. recommendations are taken on board, we will encourage more people to visit Hamilton, and Empty business premises help no-one and offer allow businesses to flourish. nothing. If a business premises lies empty, no-one is paying business rates, no staff are employed, This process ultimately is about empowering our and no profits or taxes are generated. It also community to take control of our biggest asset, means no new shoppers are attracted, the image our town centre. of the town centre has changed over the years, I am proud to come from Hamilton, proud to call it and the morale of the residents is reduced. my home, and especially privileged to represent Without action, our town centre will not reach its my hometown in Westminster. As a community, potential. That’s why I joined with Christina we should be proud of our town centre. McKelvie MSP in launching the “Our Town, Your We have a great opportunity to make a success of Voice” consultation, have produced this report our town and bring investment, jobs and and have sought your views to find solutions. sustainability back into our local economy. To do I remember a town centre that had a purpose, full this we have created the Hamilton Town Centre of independent shops and cafes. I remember Action Plan, and will work with key stakeholders in people travelling from across North and South South Lanarkshire Council, with the BID and with Lanarkshire to visit Hamilton Town Centre, spend all elected members in order to put its money in our shops, eat in our cafes and recommendations to work. ultimately invest in our local economy. A local consultation on this scale regarding a town In more recent years the landscape has changed centre has never been undertaken in Hamilton. and some local, well established shops have either We are in unprecedented territory. closed or are struggling for survival. This is mostly The case we set out in this report is simple: meet the consequence of internet shopping, out of our recommendations, bring about reasonable town shopping centres, and new retail parks. change and let Hamilton flourish The problems we face in Hamilton are not unique. Town centres in Scotland, the UK and across Europe are struggling. Our recommendations will 4 Foreword By Christina McKelvie, Member of the Scottish Parliament for Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse constituency This project is the first of its kind; the collective sourced directly from those who matter most in strength of two parliaments working together for Hamilton – the people. the people of Hamilton. It is a unique collaboration It would be far easier to accept that the town for what is clearly a vital issue. The Hamilton town centre has fallen victim to modern times; that centre consultation, ‘Our Town, Your Voice’, was internet shopping and mass shopping centres launched with the purpose to do one thing – have caused this decline. In fact, cities all across improve our town. the continent are feeling this effect. The special investigation from the Hamilton However, it simply isn’t good enough to accept the Advertiser, which instigated this joint project, was decline of the town as a forgone conclusion. a massive wake up call for us all. Having 45 vacant premises right in the heart of Hamilton spoke As the constituency MSP for Hamilton, I have volumes. never accepted that the town centre is beyond ‘saving’. Whilst there are people prepared to This is why both Angela and I launched this revitalise the town centre with the same amount consultation and have jointly produced this report of vigour and determination as I am, then – because actions speak louder than words. collectively, we will do exactly that. The consultation showed there are many things Being the constituency MSP for Hamilton, Larkhall that need attention. It’s not one single issue – its and Stonehouse continues to be one of the parking, business rates, empty properties and the greatest privileges of my life, but I won’t rest on quality of what is on offer in general. my laurels. If adhered to, this report can offer It’s now time for us to build relationships and take simple, reasonable recommendations that will direct action on what is needed. benefit everyone. The town centre does face challenges, there is no It is for that reason that this project was launched. denying that. This report doesn’t shirk those Angela and I will continue to campaign for change challenges, but instead offers recommendations - for our town centre - in order to bring prosperity to overcome them. These recommendations are and regeneration back to the people of Hamilton. 5 Consultation Results The Our Town, Your Voice consultation ran from May to August 2016, and attracted a total of 1,816 respondents. The aim of the consultation was to find out the perception of Hamilton Town Centre from people within the community, and give residents, business owners, visitors and workers the opportunity to convey their opinions and thoughts on how to regenerate the heart of Hamilton. In order to engage with stakeholders, a consultation questionnaire was designed and set up online, promoted by both Angela Crawley MP and Christina McKelvie MSP, a printed version of this questionnaire was sent to 318 town centre Businesses, and 2380 Hamilton residents to described themselves as town centre customers. ensure access for those not online. 10.2% of business owners also stated that they The questionnaire asked six questions which were potential customers who would like to shop allowed for open ended, qualitative