Cambuslang Main Street is getting a floral make-over thanks to a £35,000 grant from the Scottish Government’s Town Centre Communities Capital Fund. The award, which was announced by Cabinet Secretary, John Swinney MSP, on 23 November will fund new flower planters and hanging baskets to brighten up the Main Street and a new flower bed along the north side of the street.
The grant was won by Cambuslang Community Council against stiff competition from communities throughout Scotland. Community Council Treasurer, John Bachtler, who led the bid team said: “We are delighted with the award for our ‘Greening the Main Street’ project. The £1.7m Town Centre Communities Capital Fund was over-subscribed by eight times, attracting 159 bids from community groups across the country and only 20 grants were awarded. It’s fantastic news that the Cambuslang Community is one of the winners”.
Coming up roses: Cambuslang Community Council members Michelle Farmer, Hilda Allison, Linda Wallace and John Bachtler celebrate the £35,000 award for improving the Main Street.
The ‘Greening the Main Street’ project was proposed by Cambuslang Community Council in response to the community survey carried out by the Community Council over the summer. Michelle Farmer of Cambuslang Community Council and part of the bid team, said: “The results from our community survey showed huge dissatisfaction with the drab appearance of the Main Street. Many people complained about the lack of flowers and plants as well as the vacant units, and unsightly waste bins. We also found that the state of the town centre discourages people from using shops and amenities on the Main Street. As a result, we decided to prioritise finding ways to improve the Main Street through plants and flowers. Of course, there is so much more to be done, but this this is a first step in improving civic pride in the town centre.”
The Community Council’s project includes funding for 15 large street planters, 40 hanging baskets, barrier baskets for the railings along the Main Street, and new planting of bushes and flowers on the north side of the street between the underpass and Bank Street as part of a new ‘Cambuslang in Bloom’ scheme. The award will also fund ‘Welcome to Cambuslang’ signs and virtual shopfronts for the vacant units. However, the Community Council’s application for shelters to hide the waste bins was rejected on the grounds that this should be the responsibility of South Lanarkshire Council.
Business support
The Community Council are delighted with the response of the business community to the improvement plans. Linda Wallace of Cambuslang Community Council and part of the bid team said: “we tried to speak with every shop-owner and tenant on the Main Street in preparing the bid and were really pleased with the level of support. 40 shopkeepers said they would have hanging flower baskets outside their shops and were willing to contribute financially to their upkeep in future years. We are particularly grateful to the Urban Alfresco garden centre who gave us great advice. We are disappointed that the funding for bin shelters was not granted, but we will persevere and look elsewhere to address the issue of unsightly bins cluttering the pavements. We will also look for ways to get the Main Street railings repainted and graffiti removed.”
Councillor Richard Tullet, who joined some of the shop-owners supporting the scheme at the weekend said: “This is very welcome news and I am delighted to see so many businesses in the Main Street involved in the project to brighten up the Main Street. This was one of the items mentioned when the recent community survey report on Cambuslang was launched. I want to send my congratulations to the Community Council and look forward to see how the plans move forward.”
Business delight: Cllr Richard Tullet with shopkeepers from The Tea Bay, Pandora’s Box, Classy Chicks and Mary Brogan Florists taking part in Cambuslang in Bloom.
Other local politicians also welcomed the award. Councillor Clare McColl said: “Congratulations on the successful Town Centre Communities Capital Fund Bid. As we all know first impressions count so anything that improves the appearance of Cambuslang Main Street should help to attract new business and shoppers to the area. I am sure the Community Council will continue to work for the people of Cambuslang.”
James Kelly MSP also offered support, saying: “This is great news for Cambuslang and a real achievement for the Community Council who do fantastic work for the area. For their bid to be successful out of almost 160 applications is testament to the hard work that the Community Council team put in to the application. I look forward to seeing the next stage of this exciting project and working with the new Cambuslang in Bloom group.”