Commercial Street shortlisted for national award

LERWICK’s Commercial Street is one of eight finalists competing for this year’s title of Scotland’s most beautiful high street.

The public has the chance to vote for their favourite in an online pole, which is open until Sunday 10 November.

Votes can be cast at www.scotlandstowns.org/scotlands_most_beautiful_high_street with the winner being announced on Monday 18 November.

The other seven high streets on the shortlist are in the towns of Ayr, Inverleithen, Kirkwall, Linlithgow, Lanark, Milngavie and Rothesay.

Living Lerwick project manager Emma Miller said she was delighted that the town centre had been shortlisted.

“We all know that Commercial Street is a beautiful area, and now we have a chance to confirm that it is the most beautiful in the country,” she said.

“The amazing character of the lanes coupled with the waterfront location and diversity of architecture makes it a very special place.

“It’s easy to forget how lucky we are to have a local high street with such a wide variety of goods and services available – and it’s an added bonus that it’s pretty stunning to look at.”

The campaign to name Scotland’s most beautiful high street is organised by the Scotland’s Towns Partnership together with Keep Scotland Beautiful.

The 2018 winner was the Aberdeenshire town of Turriff.

Chief officer of Scotland’s Towns Partnership, Phil Prentice, said: “This competition is about celebrating the incredible work of people up and down the country, who give up their time to improve their local places.

“We’ve been blown away by the strength of the entries this year which goes to show that town centre revival is on the up, and it’s driven by local people.”