Kilmarnock town centre mythbuster

Our underlying principle is 'People are at the heart of everything we do'.

As such, engagement with and the involvement of communities is an essential part of our work. Doing things with the community is crucial to the success of all regeneration activity in our towns and successful engagement is essential to ensure this activity is community led.

Town centre regeneration is a gradual process, happening over several years and through multiple projects, strategies, and funding streams, which often means that it can take a long time for tangible changes to come into effect.

Although it may not always be apparent, the feedback gathered in our public consultations is highly valued and does make a difference.

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Parking charges are not a punishment. They are a management tool to keep towns accessible, vibrant and fair. When introduced transparently and with clear reinvestment, they benefit residents, visitors, and businesses alike.

From 1 June 2026, drivers using Council car parks can park free for up to two hours, except at Morton Place, London Road, Titchfield Street and Sturrock Street (East) where charges remain capped at £2.

Motorists can also benefit from 30 minutes of free on-street parking.

The changes support both East Ayrshire Council and the Scottish Government's Net Zero ambitions by improving parking availability and reducing unnecessary vehicle journeys.

Common myths about parking charges

To help separate fact from fiction about parking fees and explain how smarter charging can actually support town centre, not harm them, the following myths are examined.

Myth: Parking charges always drive customers away.

Reality: Research across the UK (including the Re-Think! Parking on the High Street report) shows little direct link between modest parking charges and retail decline. Towns with good signage, short stay spaces, and the reinvestment in public realm often perform better after reforms. What matters most if the overall experience of cleanliness, convenience and a pleasant town centre.

Myth: Free parking boosts the local economy.

Reality: Free parking still costs taxpayers in land, maintenance and enforcement. It can lead to spaces being filled by all day parkers (staff, commuters) rather than shoppers. Charging helps keep spaces turning over, meaning more visitors can find a space when they actually need it.

Myth: People will stop visiting if charges go up.

Reality: Demand for parking is insensitive to changes in price or income. Studies show a 10% price rise leads to only about a 2-6% drop in parking demand. Most people still visit if parking remains convenient and well managed. Clear signage, short stay options and alternative transport can offset effects entirely.

Myth: Charges are just a money grab.

Reality: In East Ayrshire (and elsewhere in Scotland) parking revenue is ring-fenced for transport and town improvements, for example resurfacing, lighting, cycling infrastructure and better signage. Councils must report annual parking account balances publicly. Visible reinvestment builds public trust and supports local businesses.

Myth: Small businesses will suffer most.

Reality: Evidence shows well designed parking schemes help local shops by ensuring regular turnover of spaces near the high street. Consistence pricing and time limits prevent long-stay users blocking key bays.

Myth: There's no alternative to driving into town.

Reality: East Ayrshire has multiple transport options with good bus and rail links. Active travel routes are being upgraded and extended. A combination of options ensures fairness and accessibility for all users.

Myth: More car parks mean a healthier town centre.

Reality: Too much surface parking can weaken town centres by removing land for housing, cafes and green spaces. Well priced, well located car parks are better than too many free ones. The best performing towns balance access for cars with pedestrian comfort and mixed land uses.

Myth: Parking policy can't effect climate targets.

Reality: Smart parking management reduces unnecessary car trips and encourages walking, cycling and public transport. This supports Scotland's aim to cut car kilometres by 20% by 2030.

Myth: Disabled drivers will be unfairly penalised.

Reality: Blue badge holders will continue to receive concessions and priority bays under East Ayrshire's parking strategy. Updated digital permits and enforcement improve access, not reduce it.

Myth: Nothing will change. People will just park on side streets.

Reality: Complementary enforcement and potentially resident permit schemes will ensure parking remains fair for all. Continuous monitoring allows quick adjustments if displacement occurs.

Further information on parking arrangements and charges is available on the Ayrshire Roads Alliance website.

We collect business rates but we don’t set them. These are set by the Scottish Government according to the rateable value of the property, and we can't vary that.

We can offer a reduction in rates but must meet this from our own budget, which would mean taking money out of other much needed services.

There are many different types of rates and potential rate relief. To see a full breakdown please visit reduction in business rates.

We own very little property in Kilmarnock town centre. Nearly all the empty units are privately owned, which limits the Council's influence over how they are used and maintained. Private owners are responsible for the upkeep of their properties, making decisions about who they sell or lease them to, and the cost of rent.

Businesses do continue to express an interest in Kilmarnock town centre, which may be contrary to public perception. The uptake of the smaller units along Titchfield Street and Bank Street has remained high despite a challenging economic climate.

It tends to be larger units which are less desirable to new tenants due to both their size and the level of investment that would be required to make them suitable for modern retail use.

Vacancy within these large units, particularly where there are several on the same street, contributes to a sense of high street decline.

We have been engaging with the owners of some prominent vacant buildings in the town centre, linking them with professional advice on how they could be renovated and repurposed. Some of these vacant buildings have historical importance, so tackling vacancy can also help to secure the future of the built heritage of the town.

Find out more at Engagement East Ayrshire: Repurposing and Retrofit Panel.

Shifting focus of the High Street to offer more than just retail, and investing in heritage buildings, will create the footfall which we hope will make Kilmarnock town centre a more attractive place for property owners to invest in.

We also have an Empty Homes Officer who works with empty homes owners to bring empty residential properties throughout East Ayrshire into use. The Empty Homes Officer can offer advice and assistance on:

• selling options like estate agents, auction houses
• private renting
• acquisition (buy back) scheme (for ex-Council only)
• energy efficiency
• National Matchmaker scheme, whereby owners can provide details of their property, and we can pass this information on to potential purchasers
• VAT discounts
• private landlord advice

Further information can be found at East Ayrshire: Private Rent Hub.

The gradual loss of high street retailers is not a unique or local issue for East Ayrshire.

The retail dominance of town and city centres across the UK has been increasingly challenged over the last fifty years or so - first, by the development of out-of-town shopping centres, retail parks and large supermarkets, and then by changing consumer habits and the growth of online shopping.

In 2025, 27.4% of retail sales in Great Britain were internet sales. This percentage has tripled since 2012 (Source: Office for National Statistics)

Many of the empty high street units became vacant as a result of major UK-wide retailers (such as Woolworths, BHS, Topshop and Burton) going into administration. The empty spaces were then too large and specialised to be attractive to other high street uses.

Continuing economic uncertainty has meant that the big retail chains which are still operating are very selective about their branch locations, with many of them preferring units in out-of-town retail parks and shopping centres to traditional high streets.

There are still many good places to shop in East Ayrshire and the most recent town centre health check shows an increase in services such as health, beauty and leisure.

'Big name' high street chains can still be found on King Street and in the Burns Mall. There are also lots of independent niche retailers where you’ll be able to buy exclusive items with great personal service. These are to be found in the Heritage Quarter around Bank Street and College Wynd. 

Town centres need to offer a mix of uses, not just shops. Kilmarnock has lots of great cafes, pubs and restaurants, with new ones opening all the time.

Although the way that people shop may have changed, town centres have not become obsolete. The growth in the local service sector in Kilmarnock reflects the wider shift in consumer spending towards in-person experiences that cannot be replaced by online retail.

Of course, town centre businesses all depend on support from local people if they are to survive and thrive. We want to work with building owners to help them fill empty units with other things. For example, there is an opportunity to encourage more residential uses rather than focussing only on retail, which will increase the number of people in the town centre.

By promoting what makes us unique, our culture, heritage and events, we can drive new footfall to existing businesses and create attractive conditions in which new ones will want to open.

As with many other UK towns and cities, Kilmarnock saw demand for edge-of-town retail in the late 20th century, with development of both Queens Drive and Glencairn retail parks in the 1990s.

Out-of-town retail development was initially driven by increased car ownership and the growing prevalence of large supermarkets, 'big box' stores, and leisure complexes, which had higher land requirements that was available in town centres.

At the time when the majority of out-of-town retail park developments were being approved by councils, most of these came with the caveat that they were to be for 'bulky goods' (such as furniture and appliances), justifying the need for larger floorspace, room for heavy delivery vehicles and on-site customer parking.

Applications for new large retail park development are a lot less common than they were a few decades ago; influenced by reduced demand for physical retail locations in favour of online shopping, and by the effects of successive economic downturns on commercial property developers.

Nevertheless, units in the existing retail parks are still in high demand, with many retailers choosing them over town centres due to lower maintenance costs and large customer car parks. Businesses which do not fit into the original 'bulky goods' profile for which retail parks were designed have also been showing more interest in relocating to these spaces, putting them in increasingly direct competition with town centres.

The Council applies Town Centre First planning policies to all development proposals that would increase public footfall, including retail and leisure. However, what these policies cannot do is change the locational preferences of businesses. If a retailer does not view town centre units as fitting with their business model, they cannot be forced to stay or move there. Similarly, if consumers choose to shop at retail parks rather than the town centre, then the retailers will continue to follow their customer base.

To combat the out-of-town experience, it is crucial that town centres offer something different and include a mix of uses to entice the footfall of consumers, workers and leisure users. Town centres do have some advantages over retail parks when it comes to providing spaces which better suit the needs of smaller local businesses and start-ups, and as such tend to be more unique and characterful.

We want Kilmarnock to be inclusive and welcoming and we want to ensure people who visit Kilmarnock to be welcomed warmly to our town.

Antisocial behaviour strategy

The Antisocial behaviour etc. (Scotland Act 2004) places a duty on each local authority and Chief Constable to jointly produce a Strategy to tackle antisocial behaviour and provides a range of legal tools to enable agencies to tackle antisocial behaviour more effectively.

Our draft Antisocial Behaviour Strategy 2026-31 sets out key priorities, the framework for partnership working and an action plan for the next five years. Find out more at Engagement East Ayrshire: Antisocial Behaviour Strategy 2026-2031.

East Ayrshire Alcohol and Drugs Partnership

The East Ayrshire Alcohol and Drugs Partnership (EAADP) is committed to promoting recovery and tackling stigma.

Crimewatch Scotland

Crimewatch Scotland is a police and local council support initiative that aims to increase safety and security in the local community.

Connecting retailers with each other, the Police and CCTV, using the latest two-way radios this ensures that potential threats can be instantly shared with others and is a low cost option to combat crime.

Not all funding received by the Council can be spent on any service or project.

Many grants come with strict rules set by the organisation providing the money. For example, funding may only be used for a specific project, a particular area of work, or for building and capital improvement projects (capital) rather than day-to-day running costs (revenue).

Some funding is also 'ring-fenced' which means it is legally or contractually set aside for a specific purpose and cannot be redirected elsewhere, even if there are other local priorities.

Most of the plants growing on roof tops are Buddleia Davidii, commonly known as the Butterfly Bush, which has been identified as a highly invasive species.

The main concern is the significant risk of damage it can cause to buildings, the majority of which are privately owned.

The Council cannot remove any vegetation on private buildings as they are not in our ownership. We ask owners to take care of their buildings and make them aware of the danger that Buddleia poses but we cannot enforce action.