Arbroath and Broughty Ferry: A tale of two high streets

Take a stroll along the high street in Broughty Ferry and you are spoiled for choice when it comes to cafes, clothes shops and curry houses.

Independents sit next to big-name chains, and business is brisk.

But along the coast in Arbroath it is a different story, with many retail units in the heart of the Angus town lying empty, and numerous prominent "to let" and "for sale" signs.

This tale of two high streets will be one of the issues facing the person elected to Westminster to represent the Arbroath and Broughty Ferry constituency next week.

Separated by 14 miles, the two towns are in different local authority areas, with Broughty Ferry a suburb of Dundee and Arbroath falling under Angus Council's remit.

The constituency also includes the Dundee housing estates of Douglas and Whitfield in the west, and stretches as far north as the Angus village of Inverkeillor.

Like many constituencies in Scotland, there are pockets of affluence and deprivation, often sitting side by side.

Voters in the Arbroath and Broughty Ferry constituency will head to the polls on Thursday 18 June.

It is one of three by-elections that day, along with Aberdeen South and a high-profile one in Makerfield, Greater Manchester.

This is only the second time the Arbroath and Broughty Ferry constituency has been contested.

It was established for the 2024 general election and was created by boundary changes from parts of the former Dundee East and Angus constituencies.

The SNP's Stephen Gethins was elected to the seat that year, but stood down in May this year following his election to the Scottish parliament as the MSP for Dundee City East.

Harry Simpson is a former Arbroath boatyard owner who ran the business for decades before retiring and passing it on to family.

He says the town has been good to him and wants to give something back so he is involved in community projects designed to boost the town, including the ongoing redevelopment of Arbroath's former sheriff court building.

Harry hopes the new MP focuses on the town's issues, but said he is unfamiliar with the candidates.

He said: "I don't even know them - when you get the leaflet put through the door, that's about all.

"It's the people at the coalface they need to speak to.

"Their priority is to look after the people in the town."

Harry said he was saddened by the increase in foodbanks in the town.

He said: "Arbroath is a great little town, there's a lot of talent in this town.

"I know a lot of people in the town who have nothing.

"People who were working can't get jobs. We're needing industry in the town."

He said the High Street was "mobbed" when he was younger, but not anymore.

He said: "If you look at the High Street, it looks tired.

"There's buildings need painted, there's trees and bushes growing out of the roofs, it never had that.

"People looked after their properties, it doesn't seem to be that way now."

Jo McKenzie is the owner of the Fish Hoose fish merchant in Arbroath.

She said her business was lucky to have a "solid customer base" who shop there weekly.

She said: "We're also lucky that with the Arbroath Smokie we get a lot of tourists who want to come and see that."

But she too has noticed the decline of the town's High Street in recent years.

She said: "We're seeing so many small businesses that are fighting to stay open, which is a such a shame."

Jo highlights Broughty Ferry's bustling town centre as an inspiration.

She said: "It's such a hive for local businesses and it's such a shame to see our High Street declining, and I know it's not just in our area.

"We should be encouraging local businesses to want to open.

"A lot of the larger businesses are now going out of town or into retail parks.

"A lot of folk aren't able to get what they want now, they have to go to Dundee, Aberdeen, even further afield."

Jo hopes the new MP takes on comments and feedback from local people.

She said: "I think that's a big thing as well, that maybe they don't feel like they're being listened to."

But while businesses might be booming in the Ferry, as it's known to locals, the area is not without its troubles.

The seaside town draws tourists, but the beach area has also attracted youths causing trouble, with brawls and vandalism in the past.

John Kerr is the chairman of the Broughty Ferry Traders Association, which represents about 130 businesses in the town.

He said the number one issue raised at their recent AGM was a spike in youth-related crime issues.

John said: "I think as a location for many years it (Broughty Ferry) has enjoyed a lesser component of that compared to Dundee and other areas up the coast.

"But over the last year it's identified it's not immune in any way, shape or form to that type of behaviour.

"And certainly over the last few weeks and months we've actually seen a spike to that."

Euan Spark is the co-owner of coffee roasters Maison Dieu in Broughty Ferry.

He came to Broughty Ferry more than two years ago and says it is "probably one of the best high streets in the local area."

He would like to see more done to encourage even more independent cafes and businesses to open there.

He said: "We've got a lot of competition from chains, we've got two or three different (chains) on this street, it's really hard to compete with.

"We have to be extremely busy to do what we do. We'd love to get a bigger place, but it's more rent and business rates.

"It's all local staff we have here, all the tradesmen are local, we use local cake suppliers, the milk is from the local dairy, so we are trying to do everything right."

There are five candidates standing in the Arbroath and Broughty Ferry by-election.

Voters will need photo ID at polling stations.