Rob Willox's blog

Sunday 23 September was Open Doors Day throughout Bo'ness.

The Hippodrome, currently undergoing major refurbishment was one of the buildings open to the public although still a 'building site'.

Again, we're not alone. No, extra-terrestrial life has not been found yet!

I'm talking about 'consultation' the buzzword of both the national executive and our local councils or more accurately the lack of it.

Grangemouth La Porte Precinct

In the Falkirk Herald (01/02/07) it was reported that "the public consultation on Grangemouth's £22 million town centre regeneration came to an angry conclusion this week".

Town Centre Closures

Bo'ness is not alone when it comes to closures in the High Street.

Most small towns experience the same problems when the big boys come to 'play'.

Only last week in the Bo'ness Journal (Linlithgow Gazette) it was announced that the long-established toy shop Fun 'n' Games is set to shut its doors for good once all remaining stock has been sold.

That is expected to take place in April or May — and will bring the curtain down on the family-owned shop's 16-year stint in the town.

With the announcement made today that the Antonine Wall is now the official UK world heritage bid the opportunities it opens up are exciting, numerous and need to be capitalised on all along its length.

Tessa Jowell, Culture, Media and Sport Minister, today confirmed the bid and said it was one of the most important sites in the UK. The decision is expected next year, 2008.

It is incumbent on us all, individuals and groups including BmB, that every effort is made to ensure that even the smallest opportunity to capitalise on the, expected successful, bid and not let others take the lead to the detriment of its importance to raising the profile of Bo'ness, its now accepted starting point.

Letters to the business editor - Last week we (The Scotsman) published a manifesto for Scottish Enterprise, a 10-point blueprint on how we (The Scotsman) see the agency's future role. [Scotsman]