A railway station that has been transformed into a "vibrant community village" is in the running for a UK award.
The Kilmarnock Station Railway Heritage Trust has transformed the station building and it now offers services including counselling, a model shop and a gaming centre.
This year's 'World Cup of Stations' is celebrating the ones that make the biggest contribution to the local economy.
A recent report commissioned by Rail Delivery Group found that rail travel contributes in the region of £42bn annually to local high street around departure stations, with £9bn specifically benefiting independent businesses.
Four stations feature in the Scottish heat; Glasgow Queen Street, Kilmarnock, Pitlochry and Edinburgh Waverley and 48 have been shortlisted across the UK.
World Cup winner was Glasgow Queen Street, which sits on George Square surrounded by the hustle and bustle of the city.
The 2020The redesigned station doubled in size allowing more people to get into the city and support the local businesses.
Pitlochry invites travellers to discover the stunning landscapes of Highland Perthshire.
Visitors can explore Scotland's oldest working distilleries, enjoy performances at the local theatre with picturesque views, or relax at charming independent hotels.
Cadenhead Whisky Shop is just a short walk from Edinburgh Waverly and offers tourists and locals a taste of the finest local spirits.
Nestled in a century-old warehouse, their whiskies and rums are meticulously stored by the cask, promising a unique and authentic experience.
This competition, hosted by Rail Delivery Group, will take place from October 14 to 18 with the winner announced on October 22.
Voting opens on October 16 at 8am and finishes at midnight.
The competition will unfold in a series of online public votes, with three semi-finals on 17 October and a final on 18 October.
READ MORE:
Jacqueline Starr, Chief Executive Officer of Rail Delivery Group, said: “ “All of the stations nominated are making a positive impact on their local community, and the variety of businesses at stations is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the staff, as well as the importance placed on supporting local businesses.”
Martin McTague, National Chair at the Federation of Small Businesses, added: “This competition is a great way to shine a light on the excellent and varied small firms based in and around transport hubs across the UK, showcasing the products and services they have to offer.”
Last year’s competition saw over 72,000 votes cast across 12 heats, with Wemyss Bay in Scotland taking the crown.
Train passengers in Scotland spending on average £28 in towns and cities from which they depart and £7 per journey on independent businesses.
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel