Tourism

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'.

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.

A Heritage Strategy has been agreed by Falkirk Council.

I have an active interest in the development of the immense heritage and resulting tourism and economic development opportunities surrounding Bo'ness.

Potential for Bo'ness undermined

So I do feel that the potential closure of the Kinneil Museum would undermine the huge potential for Bo'ness. I have already shared my firm view with councillors Constable and Spiers that there is a good case to be made for the creation of Heritage Park status, similar to that of the National Park idea, from Birkhill to Blackness Point.

Hippodrome & THI

Introduction

The Hippodrome should be utilised to the fullest extent to ensure both the success of local business and the THI project which itself seeks to address the past long-term decline in specific and general activity within the town centre.
Bo'ness means Business (BmB) is the local business group whose members include many of the town centre retail outlets and businesses directly affected by the THI (Townscape Heritage Initiative).