Businesses trading in Castle Douglas in June 2005


There are over 230 businesses based in/ trading from Castle Douglas, of which at least 200 are locally owned and independent. 135 businesses operate within the 'town centre' (i.e. within area defined as town centre by Stewarty Local Plan/ Dumfries and Galloway Council.) Of these, 47 are either new businesses , have relocated or have changed owners in past five years - shown * Not bad for a rural market town with a population of less than 4000...

The following is a list, re-checked today 27 June 2005, of the town centre businesses. Planning permission has been given to Tesco for an edge of town supermarket on the basis that Tesco will not have an adverse impact on the vitality and viability of Castle Douglas existing town centre businesses.

The Save Our Stewartry Shops campaign (supported by many of these businesses) argued via planning objections that there would be such an impact, and that it would also be felt in neighbouring towns and villages, damaging our rural economy and society.

These arguments were dismissed out of hand.

We have therefore made this record of existing businesses and will keep it updated. as a record of the impact of Tesco on what is at present a thriving and dynamic small town, should they be stupid enough to go ahead and build a store here.

Starting on east side of King Street up from lower end to Market Hill and then down west side - including side streets. many have their own websites, will add on later.

1. 
   # Pye's - shop: newsagent also food and drink sells records.
2. 
   # Mckerlie's - electrical contractors office.
3. 
   #McGill Duncan - an art gallery
4. 
   #Holistics : therapy and spa centre and shop converted from house *
5. 
   #Bare Essentials : shop, lingerie *
6. 
   #Scott Country : shop, outdoor pursuits, fishing, shooting, clothing . Converted from house* website
7. 
   #Small Print : shop, offices supplies, potocopying and printing *
8. 
   #Sulwath Brewery : open for brewery tours and have bar/ beer garden. On site of Smart' s Bakery * website www.sulwathbrewers.co.uk
9. 
   #Guy Pollock: cabinet maker. One of two furniture makers in town.
10. 
    #Carlos: restaurant
11. 
    #Douglas Books : shop, second hand and out of print books, good local collection *
12. 
    #Lily : shop handbags and accessories * website?
13. 
    #Video Venue : video/dvd rentals *
14. 
    #Littles :shop, pork butchers since 1924. Currently business for sale. http://www.walletsmart.co.uk/cart/properties.asp One to watch.
15. 
    #Hazel's : shop, an Alladin's cave of second hand treasures. Also removals/ house clearance.
16. 
    #Caring for Carers: charity shop *
17. 
    #Kings Arms Hotel : may once have been farmhouse. Car park site of town's original brewery- pre-1920s
18. 
    #Gelston Picture Framers *
19. 
    #Small Engine Centre - repairs and spares for small engines.
20. 
    #PJ's Cafe
21. 
    #Inspiration: shop, young women's fashions*
22. 
    #Anne's Hairdressers
23. 
    #Jade Palace: Chinese restaurant
24. 
    #Merrick Hotel: Indian restaurant
25. 
    Spirit of Galloway : shop, specialists in whiskys and spirits *
26. 
    #Lyon: dentists
27. 
    #Street Lights: cafe/ bistro*
28. 
    #Victoria Wine: shop, off-licence
29. 
    # A.D. Livingston and Sons : shop/ workshop, restore, make and sell furniture. Established by my father and brothers in 1981 www.livingstons-antiques.co.uk
30. #Willow: shop, occasional furniture, decorative furnishings*
31. 
    # 173 Deli : delicatessen, sandwich bar, stock local produce*
32. 
    # Supersave : shop, household goods, recently enlarged*
33. 
    # Enigma : shop, decorative furnishings, clothes*
34. 
    # Debra: shop, charity*
35. 
    # Semi-chem : shop, non -dispensining chemists
36. 
    # Semple and Ferguson: shop, electrical goods
37. 
    # Magick Broomstick: shop, new age, pagan, crystals, clothes, tarot, wands, body-piercing * website http://www.themagicbroomstick.com/
38. 
    # Atticus: shop, ladies clothes *
39. 
    # Castle Douglas Cycle centre: shop, bikes* links to 7Stanes
40. 
    # Roland Alexander: hairdressers
41. 
    # Thompsons: jewellers
42. 
    # Gillespie and Gifford: solicitors, estate agent
43. 
    # Royal Bank of Scotland: bank. Impressive four storey granite building, built 1862 with granite from Craignair quarry, Dalbeattie. Although only 5 miles away, such local use of granite only developed after railway reached town in 1859.
44. 
    # Mackays: shop, clothes, adult, children. Part of national chain. Under threat direct threat from Tesco's diversification into cheap clothing.. Large modern (1970ies) store, unlikely to have alternative use so would become big eyesore if closed..
45. 
    # Superspar: small supermarket. Recently modernised, £100 000 investment. Under threat from Tesco, again a big modern building difficult to find alternative use for, so would become eyesore if closed.
46. 
    # Bue Bell: small hotel/ pub, very traditional. My grandfather used to drink here. Owner Colin has close links/ chairman of town's football club Threave Rovers.
47. 
    # Woolworths : national retailer. Large (for town) store, in key site opposite post office at centre of street. Under direct threat from Tesco's diverisfication into non-food goods. Again, if closed down, would have major impact on vitaility/ viability of town centre.
48. 
    Jenny Wren: shop, upmarket toys*
49. 
    # D.E. Shoes : shop, shoes, branch of national chain.
50. 
    # Lynsey Steweart: shop, just closed in June, was ladies clothes shop. If this stays empty will be bad sign for future. "Tesco blight", lack of businesses confidence.
51. 
    # Moss Chemists: dispensing chemists (taken over from Mcrindles Chemists)
52. 
    # Gowans: shop, fabrics for dressmaking, curtains, bed linen.
53. 
    # Gowan's : shop/ showroom, beds*
54. 
    # Gowans: shop, ladies clothes - on street, next two at rear along passage.
55. 
    # Gowans: shop, gents clothes
56. 
    # Gowans: shop, saver shop.
57. 
    # Moss Chemists: dispensing chemists
58. 
    # Livingston's : shop, gents tailors, established in 1896 by my great grandfather, now run by fourth generation of family.
59. 
    # Livingston's: shop, ladies clothes
60. 
    # S. Caven : workshop, clock repairs
61. 
    # Hewats: solicitors and estate agents. Originally a bank, another imposing building dating from 1860ies, local greywacke with sandstone (from Locharbriggs, Dumfriesshire)
62. 
    # Lloyds TSB: bank
63. 
    # Mad Hatter's: cafe*
64. 
    # Sunrise Wholefoods: shop, organics, including local cheese, wholefoods. Steve and Pauline who run it have own smallholding and supply seasonal organic veg.
65. 
    # Panache: shop, ladies clothes*
66. 
    # Livingstons: dress shop* Last shop on east side of King Street and 300 metres from (invisible, beyond Market Hill) Tesco site.
67. 
    # Sigley's: chip shop, first business on west/ top end of King Street and nearest point in 'town centre' to Tesco's, but still 200 metres from Tesco site, which is mutually invisible from town centre, beyond five spur roundabout at entrance to town.
68. 
    # The Royal: was hotel until 2004, now 'modern' - lots of tvs- pub*
69. 
    # Crown Hotel and restuarant. Old coaching inn.* website
70. 
    # Haughs: cars sales and garage. Off street through archway and down lane.
71. 
    # Great Wall: Chinese take-away
72. 
    # G.M. Thompsons: estate agents and also tourist accomodation providers. website
73. 
    # Imperial Hotel: another old coaching inn.
74. 
    # Bell Ogilvy: accountants
75. Clydesdale Bank: wonderful sandstone building with fascinating architectural details. Clydesdale
76. closing many branches, so may be under threat.
77. # Low's: shop, newsagents. Very traditional.
78. # Solicitors Property Centre: shop front for local estate agents.
79. 
    # Henderson's: shop, butchers, one of four in town. Their own made pies and haggis highly
80. recommended.
81. 
    # McCowans: shop, fishing tackle, outdoor activities, pet food.
82. 
    # Tessera: clothes, furnishings. Owner very concerned about Tesco, from Ayr and has seen damage such developments can cause.*
83. 
    # Bryan Gowans: shop, paints, wallpaper, decorating*
84. 
    # Gowans: shop, carpets, floor coverings.
85. 
    # Gowans: shop, children's clothes .
86. 
    # Galloway Craft Guild: shop, local arts and crafts.
87. 
    # Therapy Centre: 5 businesses, beauticians, hairdressers etc*
88. 
    # Little VIPs: shop, children's clothes.* This is below Therapy Centre in large sandstone building , again with lots of architectural detail.
89. 
    # New Images : hairdressers*
90. 
    # Stewartry Care: nursing care for elderly.
91. 
    # Posthorn 90: shop fine arts, jewellery*
    # Barber's shop: gents hairdressers
92. 
    # Opticians
93. 
    # Post Office
94. 
    # Barry Smart' s: shop, newsagents, books, maps toys. Has strong selection of local books
95. 
    # Threave Home Hardware: shop, hardware.* In yet another architecturally strong sandstone building. Was (Until 1981) W& T Stewarts established in 1888 as furniture shop, cabinet makers and upholsterers and where my father and grandfather both served their apprenticeships before becoming partners. First William Stewart served his apprenticeship locally in 1840ies and still have his (and others) apprenticebook.
96. 
    # Corsons: shop, bakers
97. 
    # Phillpotts: shop, outdoor / sporting clothing. *Also organise Galloway Country Fair
98. 
    # Cobblers: shop, shoe repairs* www.scottishcobbler.com
99. # House of Chocolates and Deli: shop, hand made chocolates and deli * also shop for Castle Maclellan, award winning local (Kirkcudbright) food producers.
100. 
     # Galloway Gems: shop, crafts, artists supplies, crystals, gem rocks
101. 
     # Simply Delicious; cafe
102. 
     # Mitchells: shop, greengrocers and fishmongers, local fruit and veg in season
103. 
     # Cut Above: hairdessers
104. 
     # Halliday's : hairdressers
105. 
     # Dee Fish: shop, fishmongers, locally caught fish from Solway Firth/ Irish sea
106. 
     # Grierson's : butchers 'established 1838', have own farm, locally sourced meat
107. 
     # Cellar salon: hairdressers
108. 
     # Ballard's : shop, butchers, have own farm, locally sourced meat*
109. 
     # Corson's : shop, bakers, bakery at rear
110. 
     # Mair's: insurance brokers* . Was hardware shop until 2004
111. 
     # The Bible Shop: shop, books, Christian religious also Fairtrade products
112. 
     # Paws 4 Claws : shop, pet foods etc also tropical fish*
113. 
     # Sports: shop, sportswear*
115. # pizza.com: internet cafe, fast food, pizzas, ice-cream* very popular with younger generation
116. 
     # Scottish Pantry: restaurant, also has garden at rear
117. 
     # Dunfermline Building Society
118. 
     # Bank of Scotland
119. 
     # Crallan and Winstanley : architects, above Bank of Scotland
120. 
     # Natural Choice: hairdressers
121. 
     - Kirk's shop, shoes. Kirk's are unique in at least 100 mile radius by stocking a full range of shoe widths and sizes. They used to be called 'saddlemakers' as well, but no longer offer this service.
122. 
     # Douglas Arms Hotel * www.douglasarms.com Original building dates back (from stone in wall) to 1762. A coaching inn which pre-dates town (founded in 1791) Has cast iron plaque in wall with distances to local and national destinations, including London, 348 miles away, dated 1827. Has coat of arms of Sir William Douglas, founder of Castle Douglas on large sign on corner of building., complete with native Americans - he made his fortune through trade with Virginia and West Indies. This wealth created by African slaves on tobacco and sugar plantations.
123. 
     # Debbie's Flowers : shop, flowers*
124. 
     # Town Hall: not a shop, but imposing, almost Georgian style but Victorian built (1862) sandstone building, home to Castle Douglas Town Council until 1974 and where Tesco planning approval meetings were held in March and April 2005.
125. 
     # Douglas Arms: pub * was the Thistle, the 'only pub in town' as it proudly proclaimed.
     Fordy's chip shop.
126. 
     # Posthorn: fine arts, *website
127. 
     # Stepping Out : shop, ladies shoes *
128. # Town Clock. Third on site, previous two burnt down
     # Impressions: shop, bags, luggage *
129. 
     # Rendezvous: cafe, sign of the future? Derelict and empty for nearly ten years
130. 
     # Thomas Cook: national travel agents
131. 
     # Kyle Fenwick: accountants
132. 
     # Autobar Leisure : shop, camping , cars and carvanning supplies*
133. 
     # Carson and Totter: accountants
134. 
     # Ranchers: decorative ironwork, also agricultural suppliers of gates etc
135. 
     # Vacant shop- empty for four months . Was charity, again sign of Tesco blight, Small Print had considered moving across road to this site, but decided to wait and see what impact Tesco will have, since most of their trade is with existing shops/ businesses in town.
136. 
     # Alba Herbs: shop, plants and fish, garden supplies*