Anger over town ‘brand’

Michael Alexander, The Courier, 21 June 2004

The recently established St Andrews World Class initiative involving private sector tourism professionals, Scottish Enterprise Fife, Fife Council and other bodies has come under fire from a resident for trying to market the historic town as a “brand.”

Penny Uprichard reckons it is wrong for the group to promote the town as a “location” when for residents it is simply their home.

An irate Miss Uprichard, who is also a member of St Andrews Community Council, spoke out yesterday in the wake of a presentation Fife Council east area transportation manager Derek Crowe and Scott Harper of Scottish Enterprise Fife gave to the community council on controversial environmental proposals for South Street.

The improvements, to be funded largely by Scottish Enterprise Fife, are being supported by the St Andrews World Class project, a private sector-led group of local businesses which works in partnership with public sector agencies and bodies including Fife Council, Scottish Enterprise Fife, the Kingdom of Fife Tourist Board, St Andrews University and St Andrews Links Trust.

Miss Uprichard questioned what right this self-appointed “umbrella” vision group had to make decisions about St Andrews without consultation, and she argued that some of its members, who are new arrivals or come from outwith the area, had no real knowledge about the town.

She said, “I am puzzled by this group. Apparently they are not qualified in design or architecture or historic towns, nor do they intend to give money to the town.

“They are acting as a ‘front’ for the quango Scottish Enterprise. The only published suggestion I have read is that there should be a vintage car rally to which they say people from all over the world would come. Would they?

“It is clear, as they all have commercial interests, that their aim is simply to get more people and more money into St Andrews.

“They have made no attempt to engage the residents by interesting them in the project, or asking them to support it.

“The group does not include a member of the community council, of Historic Scotland or of Scottish Natural Heritage.

“Why has it been set up over everyone in the town, and why should it be allowed to ‘direct’ works in our most important street? I think this matter has been badly handled and it is causing a lot of anger.

“I have never heard of a ‘world class town’, and I would suggest that if such a thing exists, the impetus and the back-up of residents would be needed. If they want to help St Andrews, why are they not supporting the Crawford Arts Centre?”

Miss Uprichard said that, in any case, she thought the group was too late. She continued, “Things have changed radically. The university has grown enormously and so have its building plans.

“Fife Council has approved 10 huge developments in and around the town, and many others within it - one of the latest being the West Port flats which have cut off the view of Scooniehill.

“Small industrial sites are now being approved for the building of enormous blocks of flats.

“There are scores of absentee landlords who pay no council tax and scores of holiday homes whose occasional occupants cannot count as part of the community.

“The small east coast town has grown into a hybrid monster and visitors notice.”

Miss Uprichard noted that the World Class vision brochure says that “an integrated, consistent and high quality location supported by effective management” is wanted.

But she said, “It isn’t a location, it’s our home. Nor do we want a ‘St Andrews brand’. St Andrews is a town, not a T-shirt.”

Regarding the South Street improvements, Miss Uprichard noted that Fife Council said last week it was taking a number of suggestions on board before proposals are submitted for planning approval.

But she reckoned to make South Street narrower would be a “disastrous mistake” and questioned the need to widen pavements and what disruption changes would bring for residents.

Arguing that Petheram Bridge car park was too far away for many people, she wondered where elderly people who could not walk far or people from surrounding villages were supposed to park when shopping with fewer spaces in the centre.

She said it could be argued the town had already been ruined by a clutter of street furniture, signs and peripheral golf developments, and she thought the latest proposals “interfered dangerously and unnecessarily” with the town’s infrastructure.

Widespread concern has been expressed from traders and others in St Andrews that the proposed South Street improvements are being “rushed through” with lack of consultation from Scottish Enterprise Fife and concern that parking and trees would be lost.

Fife Council transportation services have since highlighted positive feedback from the community council meeting and an exhibition held on May 26, with a number of suggestions being taken on board before the proposals are submitted for planning approval.