A business leader in Moray has renewed hope that fortunes on the high street of the region’s biggest town are on the up.
Three large properties in Elgin’s town centre have sold at auction this month as developers look to move in.
The Cafe Ecosse building, which has been closed for a year, the “Yes shop”, which has been dormant since 2014’s independence referendum and the former First Choice travel agent all have new owners.
Yesterday Gill Neill, manager of Elgin’s business improvement district (Bid), revealed a beauty firm was due to open imminently on Batchen Street in the former JG Ross premises, which has been empty for nearly a decade.
She said: “The way things are going at the moment it’s all really positive. There is a lot of interest from people in Elgin – we’re definitely going in the right direction.
“Batchen Street is a prime example, there’s been a lot of new businesses opening there in the last year.
“The three buildings that have sold at auction recently are big blocks when you look at the floors above and behind. It’ll make a big difference.”
Last month the Princess Royal visited the town to christen the new Castle to Cathedral to Cashmere heritage trail.
The attraction has led to dozens of information boards being scattered through Elgin’s historic heart.
And Mrs Neill believes the addition to the town centre has only bolstered the town’s “attraction” to tourists and businesses.
The Bid manager believes the High Street’s role is changing in the 21st century and is running workshops for firms to take advantage of the benefits of online shopping instead of fighting against it.
She added: “It’s never going to go back to the way it was in the 1950s or 1960s. It’s a different place now and the town centre has a different purpose.
“We are keen to encourage more people to live in the town centre, which will see a greater need for services there as well as a social element.
“It’s a different world now and Elgin has got to move with it. There’s lots of unique shops as well as brands so I think it’s in a good place.”
