41-493: Dunoon Burgh Hall is a municipal building in Argyll Street , Dunoon , Scotland. The structure, which is used as an events venue, is Category B listed . Following significant population growth, largely associated with the fishing industry, the area became a police burgh in 1868. In this context, the new police commissioners decided to procure a burgh hall: the site they selected was a piece of open land known as Gallowhill, which
82-518: A House of Commons committee concluded that the loss of small shops on high streets in favor of chain stores contributes to the formation of clone towns , leading to "a loss of sociability ". In 2011, business consultant Mary Portas , best known for the TV series Mary Queen of Shops , was commissioned by the UK government to provide an independent review of High Street shopping. The report provided evidence for
123-950: A highway ). In most cities the main business and shopping area is rather referred to as Innenstadt (downtown) or by the specific street name. In Cologne the Hohe Straße (literally, High Street) is the main shopping street, but was named after a gate at its southern end (the Hohe Pforte , or High Gate). The term High Street is far less commonly used in Ireland. There, like in the United States, Main Street tends to be used instead. Neither of Dublin's two main shopping streets ( Grafton Street and Henry Street ) carry this name, for example, nor does its main thoroughfare ( O'Connell Street ). While Dublin has street named High Street near Christchurch , formerly
164-575: A design by Page\Park Architects , cost £3.5 million. The sources of funding included Creative Scotland , the Heritage Lottery Fund , Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Historic Environment Scotland . Following completion of the works, the building was reopened by the First Minister of Scotland , Nicola Sturgeon , in June 2017. A stone carving on the building's Hanover Street elevation features
205-401: A major shopping street named High Street ( Irish : An tSráid Ard ), including Killarney , Galway , Wexford , Ballinrobe , Westport , Bagenalstown , Macroom , Tuam , Wicklow , Trim , Monaghan , Kilkenny , and Kilrush . Bantry, County Cork is an interesting variant; the main shopping street is called High Street in its western part and Main Street in its eastern part. The same
246-408: A number of different variables. Research has highlighted the ongoing challenges faced by towns and cities and suggested that "[t]he town centre serves not only social, utilitarian or hedonic shopping purposes but also supports out-of-hours entertainment and leisure services. The way that consumers perceive and use town centres has also fundamentally changed." In order to address the issues threatening
287-578: A preponderance of stores selling luxury branded goods. In the United Kingdom, geographic concentration of goods and services (including at industrial estates and out of town shopping centres) has reduced the share of the economy contributed to by workers in the high street. High Street refers to only a part of commerce. The town centre in many British towns combines a group of outdoor shopping streets (one or more of which may be pedestrianised ), with an adjacent indoor shopping centre. High Streets through
328-404: A typical high street to differentiate them from more specialised, exclusive and expensive outlets (often independent stores) – for example, "High Street banks " (instead of the less-common private or investment banks ) or "High Street shops" (instead of boutiques ). The phrase "High Street banks" is used to refer to the retail banking sector in the United Kingdom. Alongside High Street ,
369-681: Is a term used in smaller towns and villages in Scotland , while in North East England Front Street is common. In Cornwall , some places in Devon and some places in the North of England, the equivalent is Fore Street; in some parts of the UK Market Street is also used, although sometimes this may be a different area where street markets are currently (or were historically) held. Following
410-585: Is also a metonym for the retail sector. While many streets, such as Camden High Street (in London). bear this name, streets with similar function but different names are often referred to as "high street". With the rapid increase in consumer expenditure the number of High Streets in England grew from the 17th century and reached a peak in Victorian Britain where, drawn to growing towns and cities spurred on by
451-493: Is found in Athlone and Birr, County Offaly . In Jamaica, the main commercial district is Front Street (especially in cities located alongside a waterway). In Norway, the main commercial and administrative street is most often 'Storgaten/Storgata' (Grand Street) In Sweden, the main street is often 'Storgatan' (Grand Street), but as common is 'Drottninggtan' (Queen's street) and 'Kungsgatan' (King's Street)' The equivalent in
SECTION 10
#1732858593473492-502: Is frequently used in Quebec towns, and "a village where the main street is still Main Street" is a phrase that is used in respect for small towns. In some sections of Canada, the main commercial district is Front Street (especially in cities located alongside a waterway). In Germany , the equivalent is Hauptstraße (Main Street), though this can also refer to a road with a lot of traffic (i.e.,
533-783: Is used across various types of settlements; from densely populated inner suburbs of Dublin such as Ranelagh , to satellite suburbs of the capital such as Swords , and also in villages and small towns throughout the country. For example, the OSI North Leinster Town Maps book lists sixteen "Main Streets" and only two "High Streets" in its thirty-town index of street names. Similarly, the OSI Dublin Street Guide (covering all of Dublin City and County Dublin) lists twenty "Main Streets" and only two "High Streets". Some Irish towns do have
574-611: The A885 from John Street to Bencorum Brae, at which point the A885 becomes the Sandbank Road. The road crosses Milton Burn between McArthur Street and Queen Street. In the early 19th century, Argyll Street stopped at Moir Street. Instead of continuing to Dunoon Pier , it turned right at today's Sinbad's Bar. Before Dunoon Burgh Hall was built, beginning in 1873, the land was an open field, owned by James McArthur Moir , leading to an area known as
615-500: The Great Fire of London (1666), the city of London was completely rebuilt. New planning laws, governing rebuilding, designated four types of street based on the size of their carriageways and the types of buildings. Shops were permitted in the principal street or 'high street', but not in the by-lanes or back streets. This may have been based on the need for high visibility in order to regulate retail trade, as well as to avoid congestion in
656-526: The Industrial Revolution , the department store became a common feature in major High Streets across Britain, with Harding, Howell & Co. , opened in 1796 on Pall Mall , London, a contender for the first department store. Founded in London in 1792, bookseller and stationers WHSmith is the world's oldest national retail chain . The 19th century was a "golden era" for High Street shops. The rise of
697-400: The Industrial Revolution , the rate of urbanisation was unprecedented. Since the latter half of the 20th century, the prosperity of High Streets has been in decline due to the growth of out-of-town shopping centres , and, since the early 21st century, the growth of online retailing, forcing many shop closures and prompting the UK government to consider initiatives to reinvigorate and preserve
738-519: The Gallowhill. There were no streets and houses between Argyll Street and Edward Street. Argyll Street, roughly as it is seen today, was completed by 1870. Moir donated some of his land for the building of the Burgh Hall, but he did not get to see its completion; he died by suicide in 1872. Two buildings on Argyll Street are listed buildings : Argyll Hotel and Burgh Hall . Other notable locations along
779-455: The High Street. High Street is the most common street name in the UK, which according to a 2009 statistical compilation has 5,410 High Streets, 3,811 Station Roads and 2,702 Main Streets. In Middle English the word "high" denoted superior rank (" high sheriff ", " Lord High Chancellor ", " high society "). "High" also applied to roads as they improved: " highway " was a new term taken up by
820-567: The United Kingdom , with the balance shifting towards the latter. In the early 21st century, bricks and mortar retailers confronted another major threat from online retailers operating in a global marketplace. To confront this threat, High Street precincts have been forced to evolve; some have become smaller as shops shut their doors, while others have become more like social spaces with a concentration of retail services including cafes, restaurants and entertainment venues while yet others have positioned themselves as more up-market shopping precincts with
861-458: The centre of the medieval city, it is not a shopping street. The city of Cork 's main shopping street is St Patrick's Street . The city's oldest streets are named North Main Street and South Main Street. Limerick 's principal thoroughfare, like Dublin, is also O'Connell Street (the name is used in a number of other Irish towns in honour of Daniel O'Connell ). The term Main Street ( Irish : An tSráid Mhór , literally "The Big/Great Street")
SECTION 20
#1732858593473902-404: The centuries The popularity of shopping malls in the mid-20th century, combined with the rise of online retail at the turn of the century has threatened the viability of high street retail precincts. Initiatives to preserve the traditional British High Street are evident. Research into the customer's shopping preferences and patterns reveals that the continued vitality of towns is predicated on
943-460: The church and their vestries during the 17th century as a term for all public roads between settlements. From the 19th century, which saw a proliferation in the number of public roads, the term "highway" lost its specific meaning, and was legally defined as any public road (e.g., the Highway Code regulates UK public roads). The term "high street" assumed a different meaning, that of a street where
984-417: The decline of High Street precincts such as data indicating that retail spending in High Street shops had fallen to below 50 per cent. Her final report set out a vision for High Streets and a number of recommendations. However, her plan has failed to stem the number of High Street store closures, leaving authorities in a quandary about how to proceed. The term "High Street" is used to describe stores found on
1025-400: The first floor. The right-hand section, which projected forward and accommodated the main hall, featured, in the centre bay, two segmental windows on the ground floor, two tall square-headed windows on the first floor and a stepped gable containing a rose window on the second floor. The left-hand bay in this section featured twin arched windows on the ground floor with a bartizan above, while
1066-563: The initials of Robert Leslie Smith, provost of Dunoon. Argyll Street, Dunoon Argyll Street is the main street of the Scottish town of Dunoon , on the Cowal peninsula, Argyll and Bute . It runs for about 0.9 miles (1.4 km), from Pier Esplanade (the A815 ) in the south to Bencorum Brae in the north. The road, which is one-way northbound from Pier Esplanade to John Street, forms part of
1107-490: The middle class in Victorian England contributed to a more favourable attitude to shopping and consumption. Shopping centres became places to see and be seen, for recreational shopping, and for promenading . By the 20th century, however, the viability of High Streets began to decline. In the second half of the 20th century, traditional British High Street precincts came under pressure from out-of-town shopping centres in
1148-463: The most important shops and businesses were located. In Britain, the term 'high street' has both a generic and a specific meaning: people refer to 'shopping on the high street' both when they mean the main retail area, as well as the specific street of that name. Many former British colonies, including Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the US region known as New England (especially Massachusetts ), adopted
1189-489: The narrow lanes and back streets. Accordingly, from the 17th century, the term "High Street" gradually assumed a narrower meaning and came to describe thoroughfares with significant retail in large villages and towns. With the rapid increase in consumer expenditure , in the late 17th and 18th centuries the number of High Streets in England increased markedly. Britain also saw an unprecedented growth in urbanisation with people flocking to growing towns and cities. Nurtured by
1230-456: The redevelopment of the building at a public meeting at Dunoon Grammar School in 2002 but, following local objections, the scheme did not proceed and the condition of the building continued to deteriorate. The John McAslan Family Trust acquired the hall from Fyne Homes for a nominal sum in 2008. The trust initiated an extensive programme of refurbishment works to convert the building into an arts and culture hub. The works, which were carried out to
1271-468: The right-hand bay was fenestrated with a single window on the ground floor. The stained glass in the rose window, which depicted a viking , was designed and manufactured by Ballantine and Allan . Internally, the principal room was the main assembly hall which was designed to accommodate 700 people. Pollock's Dictionary of the Clyde , published in 1888, described the building as "one of the principal edifices in
Dunoon Burgh Hall - Misplaced Pages Continue
1312-406: The same time.) The design involved an asymmetrical main frontage with six bays facing onto Argyll Street ; the left-hand section, which accommodated the main offices, featured, in the right-hand bay, an arched doorway on the ground floor and a bi-partite window on the first floor. The other bays in the left-hand section were fenestrated with bi-partite windows on the ground floor and single windows on
1353-578: The song came from Blur's visit to Dunoon in 1995 and a view he had of the Holy Loch . "It was a beautiful misty evening. There was a single submarine in the loch – why it was there I don't know. I had a very strong image of the loch and submarines and walking down the main drag in Dunoon after the gig, going to someone's house for a party, and a song came out of it." Albarn also stated: "Now every time I sing 'The Selfish Giant' I go back to that night in Dunoon, which
1394-407: The street include: St Cuthbert's Church stood at today's 191 Argyll Street between 1874 and 1994, when it was demolished to make way for a block of flats. Dunoon was the inspiration behind Damon Albarn 's song " The Selfish Giant " on his 2014 solo album Everyday Robots . It includes the line "Walking down Argyll Street when the evening colours call". Albarn revealed that the inspiration for
1435-423: The sustainability of towns it is increasingly important to consider Consumer behaviour and customer experience . This is in line with research that proposes that for high street retail to thrive in spite of the growth threat of eCommerce , the sensual hedonic experiences (e.g. scent, feel, etc.) need to be presented to visitors while allowing for discovery of hidden experiences in the built environment. In 2006,
1476-418: The term Main Street is also used in smaller towns and villages. The Dutch equivalent is Hoogstraat , or in villages Dorpsstraat ("village street'). Alongside the term High Street , the terms Main Street or "Central Avenue" are also used. In Canada, east of Lake Superior, King Street and Queen Street are often major streets; rue Principale , as the literal French language equivalent of Main Street
1517-400: The term to refer to retail shopping areas. Main street is used in the island of Ireland. In Britain, some 3,000 streets called High Street and about 2,300 streets with variations on the name (such as Upper High Street, High Street West) have been identified, giving a grand total of approximately 5,300. Of these, more than 600 High Streets are located in London's boroughs. Main Street
1558-502: The town most worthy of notice". The building was altered in 1896 to create extra capacity; the changes included the creation of a seating gallery in the main hall, the transfer of the main entrance from Hanover Street to Argyll Street and an enlarged caretakers' flat. During the Second World War , the burgh hall was used as a centre to administer the allocation of homes for 1,000 evacuee children from Glasgow . The burgh council closed
1599-532: The upper floors of the burgh hall after deciding to promote the Queen's Hall, which was rebuilt in 1959, as the main events venue in the town. The burgh hall ceased to be the local seat of government when the enlarged Argyll District Council was formed in 1975. The upper floors of the building remained empty, and its condition deteriorated: the building was sold to Dunoon and Cowal Housing Association in 1993 and then to Fyne Homes in 2001. Fyne Homes presented proposals for
1640-553: Was a really great night, a fantastic night." When asked if he would consider playing solo in Scotland, he replied: "I’d love to. Maybe Dunoon? Then I can walk down Argyll Street again." High Street High Street is a common street name for the primary business street of a city, town, or village, especially in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth . It implies that it is the focal point for business, especially shopping . It
1681-484: Was part of land donated to the burgh by the local laird , James MacArthur Moir . The foundation stone for the new building was laid with full masonic honours on 30 August 1873. It was designed by Robert Alexander Bryden in the Scottish baronial style , built in schist stone at a cost of £4,000, and was officially opened on 25 June 1874. (Bryden also designed the adjacent and now-demolished St Cuthbert's Church around