Bridge building efforts over 'World Class' plan

The Citizen, 12 November 2004

There were signs at a meeting of St Andrews Community Council that the now-infamous St Andrews World Class label might be on the way out.

While the drive to improve service standards and encourage visitors to the historic town will continue, it was clear from what representatives were saying that mistakes had been made and presentation had been a problem.

Mike Robinson, head of local services for Fife Council's east area, endeavoured to set the record straight.

He explained that a new company was being set up by the St Andrews World Class intiative. There was no intention for it to become "a quasi-tourist board'' or any other council authority.

The board of directors consisted of 11 members - five from the public sector and six from the wider community - and all projects would be run to serve all businesses in St Andrews.

St Andrews businesswoman, Ms Lindsey Adam, acknowledged that mistakes had been made by the group which she stressed was not just about the town's physical environment but skills and busines development.

A major survey of all businesses in St Andrews, to assess manpower, skills and development requirements, had discovered a need to develop the skills of the future workforce.

Other concerns were high housing costs deterring people from moving to the area and the perception that St Andrews was ''a golf-only resort filled with older visitors.''

She stressed the 'World Class' label was not one for use other than by those involved with the project within the town and Fife.

However, she revealed plans for a single ''brand image'' for St Andrews in the shape of a dedicated logo.

She said that St Andrews Links Trust, the Old Course Hotel, St Andrews Bay and Kingsbarns Golf Links had got together for joint marketing.

Later, however, a trust spokeswoman said it would not be appropriate for St Andrews Links Trust to have a director in the proposed new World Class company although it would remain closely involved in the project itself.

Ms Adam conceded St Andrews World Class had been wrong to endorse controversial plans to upgrade South Street when ''we were not sufficiently knowledgable about them.''

Plans for ''shabby and poorly maintained.'' Market Street would be much more widely consulted, she added, before any firm plans were drawn up.

Community councillors emphasised the need for townspeople to be considered in the plans and some indication of the depth of feeling the proposals had stirred up was evident in comments round the table.

Mr Robinson stressed no slight was intended to the town, adding: ''I don't think, as a public authority, we (Fife Council) are maintainting the town centre to a world class standard. We can do better.''

He said it was not intended to increase the number of visitors to St Andrews but to encourage increased spending by those who came.. The company being set up would be limited by guarantee and non-profit making.

Fife Council funding was part of a town centre scheme for St Andrews, Dunfermline and Kirkcaldy, he added, pointing out that St Andrews was recognised as one of three strategic town centres in Fife.

Money from Scottish Enterprise Fife was ''ring-fenced'' purely for St Andrews, recognising the town as a key economic driver not just for Fife but Scotland-wide.