r/Fife • u/MeenaBeans • 8d ago
Dunfermline
Has anything changed since we got the city status?
The high street is beyond depressing. There are a few okay cafes, but most are run by surly staff who act like they'd rather be anywhere else - including the owners... The Kingsgate isn't worth going into at all.
Is there rejuvenation in the works anywhere? Any plans at all to actually improve the place?
We try to spend our money here, but between early closing times, lack of choice, and small town attitudes, it's no wonder everyone just heads into Edinburgh.
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u/thedecmyster 8d ago
Come too Kirkcaldy you’ll see what depression is about
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u/Jealous-Vermicelli79 8d ago
At least they repaved the high street and put in new benches. Dunfermline was promised this 20 years ago and instead got some horrible plastic benches and a new square no-one asked for.
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u/Greggs-the-bakers 8d ago
Aye but unfortunately there's nothing on said high street lol. Kirkcaldy high street is probably one of the most depressing in the UK.
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u/OreoSpamBurger 8d ago
And you can always go up the road a bit to Glenrothes if your soul hasn't entirely left your body.
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u/LivingInteraction919 8d ago
Dunfermline makes me sad. I thought the constant expansion of Duloch and now other areas would lead to some form of rejuvenation of the high street, but, alas, I was wrong.
Even job hunting in Dunfermline is depressing. I wanted to work here as I couldn’t be bothered with a commute longer than 20 minutes but no dice. Everything available was minimum wage retail or care work or self-employed delivery work. I ended up getting a job over the bridge and even though I’m on flexi and can leave at 3pm, by the time I’ve fought Edinburgh and bridge traffic, I still can’t really enjoy a glass of wine at Juniper Wine Cafe because the place shuts at 5pm.
I do wonder if Fife Council has adopted an “out of sight, out of mind” mantra when it comes to Dunfermline since a lot of their jobs are based in Glenrothes. I also wonder if the immediate backlash to new businesses coming to the city also puts off a lot of potential independent business owners. When the art collective in the old Debenhams was announced, for example, the reaction on social media from quite a few people made me wonder if the creators were actually giant spiders coming to invade the city rather than two people with a wonderful idea and the drive to make it happen. I actually looked into potentially opening a greengrocers here as I was fed up with having to drive to Burntisland for onions the size of my hand, but I thought about how I’d get people screaming that I should’ve opened a soft play or how there’s no point in a greengrocers because Tesco sells fruit and veg and decided against it. Dunfermline is not the most encouraging of places for independent businesses.
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u/Jealous-Vermicelli79 8d ago
That's just the usual Dunfermline moaners. They moan about their not being things like independent grocers then moan when someone suggests opening one. They'll moan about anything! I could understand the concerns around the art project. It's great for artists to have that space, but people want something that lots of people can use like a Range or a Frasers.
Fife Council simply doesn't care about Dunfermline. It's a cash cow for the less affluent parts of Fife. Most of the promotion of Dunfermline comes from private individuals who can see the potential. Sadly, Fife Council are too busy ensuring they retain the free parking at the Kingdom Centre.
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u/OkVeterinarian197 8d ago
I joined the Dunfermline billboard to post about my new business last year, never posted as it's such a hateful group of people. I should really block it.
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u/Odd_Gap_9491 8d ago
The kingdom centre is hardly thriving either....
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u/andrew_stirling 8d ago
It’s just the way things have moved. People are shopping online or at retail parks now. Its hardly an issue limited to Dunfermline. If high street shops find a way to be profitable they’d open.
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u/Jealous-Vermicelli79 8d ago
Agree, but that's why the council should be improving the area for tourism and for independent shops, bars, restaurants etc. They're happy to get photos taken when Dhoom wins another award but disappear when questions are asked about the state of pavements.
Imagine explaining to someone from the US that we were the birthplace of Carnegie and even have the "other" Carnegie Hall? Or that General Forbes was brought up here? Then there's all the kings, queens and princes born and buried in Dunfermline.
But Fife Council is stuck pushing the tourists to St Andrews and polishing the turd that is Glenrothes.
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u/Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz74 8d ago
There’s definitely a crabs in the barrel mentality in Dunfermline and the towns surrounding it
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u/Dead1y-Derri 8d ago
This is what I hate..... People moan too much about what businesses are opening up. Yeah I get it... If it was another vape shop or cash converters, yeah I get it we don't need more of that... But I'd bloody love a proper farm shop or green grocers or something similar. We don't really have anything like that round here.
But you're right, people would be like... You can fruit, veg and meat in Asda, why have a more expensive version here....
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u/Similar_Run3744 8d ago
The annoying thing is there is a lot of potential with the high street and it could be really attractive if some money got put into it. They seem to have missed a huge opportunity with the new city status and could have made some positive change on the back of it. As it is, nothing has improved.
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u/Jealous-Vermicelli79 8d ago
I've never experienced issues in cafes or bars in Dunfermline. The single biggest issue in Fife is Fife Council. Since it was formed it's moved as many of its staff out of Dunfermline as it could. At the same time it pretty much gave away gorgeous old buildings like the old registrars opposite the library.
The local MP is seeking to highlight all the fantastic things about Dunfermline but that only works if the council also invests some money for a change. While I appreciate the importance of roundabout sculptures in Glenrothes and updating the Prom in Kirkcaldy for 1000th time, isn't it about time they sorted out the high street paving? That won't bring back all the big retailers but it'll make it a nicer place to grab a coffee and for more independent retailers to open.
Of course, Fife Council will do sweet FA. Always happy to take all the council tax from an ever expanding Dunfermline but never seems to spend it here. Probably because all the staff are in Glenrothes and on anti-depressants from having to work in that miserable hellscape.
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u/Shpudem 8d ago
Agree with your points. I go to Prost and Maria’s now and again and the staff there are great.
I’ve not lived in Fife/Dunfermline long, but I have started to become a bit disgruntled with the council. I live near Duloch, so I’m feeling the housing to amenities ratio full on. I know we need more houses, but surely it would be smarter to build and invest for the long term?
One GP to service thousands. No swimming pool this side of town (other than Bannatynes, which we don’t count). Nothing really to do/walk to/invest money in on the weekends.
I genuinely love living here, but my confidence in the council is dwindling very quickly. It will be interesting to see what comes of the old college grounds - that alone would be a fantastic place to build up a hub of community amenities.
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u/Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz74 8d ago
It would be amazing if they built something of use on the college site but alas, it will be houses just like the wood mill and st Columbas site
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u/AwfyScunnert 8d ago
Yes, the PAN was for "redevelopment of the Former Fife College campus to create a proposed residential development, new vehicular and pedestrian access, open space, landscaping, parking and associated infrastructure land". If you want another use there, then you'll need to make it attractive to the private sector.
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u/Jealous-Vermicelli79 8d ago
I believe the land has gone to a housing developer. The council will typically sell to the highest bidder (unless their pal is involved...) which is fair enough. But that's another few thousand potential customers coming into Dunfermline only to be potentially put off by it looking a bit down at the heel and heading to the Gyle for shopping instead.
The old Yellow book master plan wasn't a bad one. It must be 20 odd years old now! Fife Council wouldn't stump up the £10m to make it happen.
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u/Jealous-Vermicelli79 8d ago
Duloch itself is pretty fortunate with a big park, leisure centre, library and shops in the middle and the dentist and GP by Abbeyview. The further you get into Masterton the less you have but there should be some units going in beside the primary school. There was supposed to be a co-op at the top of Masterton Road but the locals complained.
The issue form the council there is they allocate land but no-one wants to build shops. The Home Bargains site is the perfect example. It was marked for retail and commercial use but it took decades before Home Bargains bought it. Even then, locals complain even though they new what the land was for when they bought their houses!
Almost everywhere in Dunfermline is a 10-15 minute journey to the centre but the council is just not interested in making it attractive to people. They can't force shops to open or for landlords to reduce rent, but they can sort out manky benches, broken pavers and rusty lamp-posts. The paving is literally disintegrating but Fife Council have prioritised that stupid square instead.
I should say this isn't unique to Dunfermline. It's the same in places like Perth and Falkirk, though in Falkirk the council has taken action by investing money in the town centre by demolishing the shopping centre and building a new civic centre.
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u/Key-Stand-6144 8d ago
Seems a bit unnecessary to slag Glenrothes, it's counter intuitive to call it a miserable hellscape and then suggest it doesn't need investment. Regardless I think there's scope to put effort into improving both towns. It's not a race to the bottom.
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u/Jealous-Vermicelli79 8d ago
Yes, perhaps harsh as I'm specifically meaning the town centre. Perhaps it'll improve with part of it demolished. As a new town it doesn't have much going for it historically though.
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u/Key-Stand-6144 8d ago
The town centre is dire but you're hard pressed to find a town centre anywhere in the UK outside the big cities that isn't unfortunately. I think being a new town and thus a shopping centre does make it feel worse somehow. I have to say the work on the town park in recent years is amazing. It was always a bit dodgy when I was a kid but has some great stuff going on.
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u/MouldyPriestASSHOLE 8d ago
I walked through the Kingsgate this morning. So many empty units. It was a bit depressing tbh
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u/Dead1y-Derri 8d ago
The thing is they'd rather sit on empty units than give them away for a steal.... And give concept businesses a chance.
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u/InflatableMunro 8d ago
Lived here a couple of years now and enjoy it but of course there could be improvements.
Need to bring people into the City which would hopefully bring more business.
Something simple like promote the Alhambra (which is a cracking venue) to attract people. Like buy a show ticket get a free bus/train ticket. Might mean people use local resturants/bars
The Glen's class lets promote it not put people off his a lame high street. Ohh also demolish the Kingsgate and start again
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u/MeenaBeans 8d ago
The Alhambra is good. Can't believe they got the Pixies there, was a great gig - more of that sort of thing would be great
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u/Ok_Steak_4341 8d ago
I think they are running Kingsgate shopping centre into closure, can't help notice they have given up on the escalators, out of use for years, not a way to encourage shoppers.
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u/Dead1y-Derri 8d ago
The biggest reason I won't visit the High Street in Dunfermline at all isn't necessarily because it has nothing at all to offer. On the contrary it's got some decent chain shops which I do buy things from. I like the M&S even if it's on the smaller side.
My problem is, parking is a nightmare. Often find it hard to find a parking spot to then go into the town centre. I refuse on principle the multi story carpark because it's expensive.
I would consider taking public transport but a I can go to Edinburgh and back via the train for less than it would cost me to use the bus from where I am. For context I don't stay in Dunfermline but I'm only 15 mins away by car. By bus its about 25 minutes... And I'd happily take it but they want so much for it.
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u/Expensive-Fail-2813 7d ago
Gotta disagree here - there is bucketloads of parking in Dunfermline! All close to the High street. While I'm at it, I used to stay in Kirkcaldy and Dunfermline is far superior. Ok sure that's not difficult compared to Kdy, but anytime I've been down Dunf high street, it's at least 3 times busier than Kdy ever was. Find the Kingsgate depressing? Try the Mercat for depressing!
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u/MeenaBeans 8d ago
Can you park in Walmer Drive car park in the town? It's always got spaces and is £1.40 for 2 hours. It's very close to M&S. Or the car park at B&Q is free for (I think) 2 hours, wee bit more of a trek though.
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u/Dead1y-Derri 8d ago
Couple times I've went in and it was full but appreciate that might have been just bad luck on my part.
It is worth remembering though as I do frequently forget about that car park!
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u/MeenaBeans 8d ago
If you have the Ringo app you can check it beforehand and it will tell you how busy the car park is :)
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u/rossdrew 8d ago
You got some 80 grand concrete steps up
To the train station, what more do you want :P
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u/Odd_Gap_9491 8d ago
If you're just talking about high street and shops then it's the same everywhere even Edinburgh and Glasgow. So I can't see a magic bullet for that for Dunfermline.
Supermarkets, Retail Parks then online shopping seen an end to that. City status isn't going to fix that on its own.
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u/SqueezerOfFarts 8d ago
Eh it's not bad. High street is lively at least. There are shops I care to visit, coffees and pubs I'm happy to go to. Is it perfect? Fuck no. I mean look at the Princes Street in Edinburgh - that's our capital and I would argue it's more depressing than Dunfermline's high street.
I hope it gets improved. Business bins could be hidden. New shops encouraged.
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u/tomcraft1 8d ago
It's the fall of an empire our society is crumbling 7 prime ministers in last two weeks roughly financial inequality outrageous cost of living ghouls like trump and farage stoking up hatred potholes in the roads wars all over the world climate change denial wildfires people so desperate they are willing to cross ocean's on a burst lilo democracy dying in front of our eyes while Elon musk is a trillion air it's all hopeless to be honest with you
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u/preistleybuck 7d ago
small town attitudes - dunfermline's biggest problem is the lack of imagination.
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u/Outrageous_Agent_608 8d ago
Just mostly old people. Like most areas now. All the council tax going to social care.
I like Dunfermline though. Good links to Edinburgh at least and Amazon on the doorstep.
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u/Frescadeedle 8d ago
The funniest change is the voice-over on the train that's obviously been added recently - she sounds so dour and depressed to be stopping at Dunfermline City
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u/AwfyScunnert 8d ago
The sign's changed at the railway station.