Reviving business opportunities in Newburgh
A recent report highlights the continuing disadvantages experienced by rural communities, such as Newburgh, are blighted by the decline and closure of industry. Young people are forced to look elsewhere for work. But Newburgh can thrive again. A start would be reopening the station plugging the town back into the economy of Scotland.
A town that its lost jobs
Photo by Robin McKelvie
Newburgh once thrived. Early in its history it exported fruit throughout Scotland from its famous orchards. Later, it was the home of factories and workshops, together with a working harbour and fishing industry. But the town's fortunes declined. Today only the quarry operation remains. But Newburgh has the potential to thrive again - and this time in a far more sustainable way.
Investors look for good transport links and reliable digital connectivity
Newburgh today is effectively a dormitory town. Most people travel elsewhere for work. The little work that town is scattered among the handful of shops and the nearby quarry - thought the latter comes with an environmental cost.
​
The town, like so many other rural communities across Scotland, is still blighted by the end of industry and mining and the resulting job losses.
​
Some see the continuing lack of work opportunities in many rural towns and villages across Scotland as a failure of government. After 50 years a renaissance is surely long overdue. The impetus for a revival of some sort mostly comes from the community itself, but should support these efforts. One of the important ways it can do this is to improve transport.
​
​
Why invest in Newburgh - with poor transport options and long journey times?
​
Since losing its station in 1955, Newburgh has relied on the bus for public transport. The 20% of people in the town without a car must use the bus to get to essential services like healthcare, education. They are not always well served.. A bus journey from Newburgh to Perth takes 45 minutes, timetable are not particularly kind for getting to work and private operators stop running services if they are not profitable enough. Stagecoach have stopped operating a number of services to Newburgh. How can you develop trust in public transport when you cannot be sure it will be running next year?
"The bus service, the frequency...I can't run a car as I am a student and rely on buses far too often. Access to the cities and beyond via a train station makes so much sense. It's ridiculous that this has not come about sooner."
​
Newburgh Student
A Newburgh Renaisance
The Newburgh Arch in Mugdrum Park, marking the end of the Fife Coastal Path in Newburgh. Photo: Ingrid Haas
The increasingly popular Fife Coastal Path runs around the Fife coast and ends in Newburgh. 500,000 Walkers, some from across the globe, walk some or part of the 116 mile path. However, many choose not to complete the journey to Newburgh.
The town lacks facilities. There is no public convenience and few hostelries, The bus service, particularly on a Sunday, is poor. There are very taxis around. There are stories of walkers knocking on people's doors asking to use their toilet!
​
How can Newburgh capitalise on the coastal path's success when it cannot offer the most basic of amenities?
​
And the path is only one of a raft of commercial opportunities that go begging. Newburgh is a good place to develop healthy pursuits and outdoor activities. But why would someone come to a town difficult to get to and one without adequate parking?​
Educating Newburgh
Seeking an education while staying in the town is a challenge. Fife college operates several campuses across Fife. A journey to the nearest at Glenrothes can taken between between 80 and 90 minutes. A trip to the campus in Dunfermline can taken nearly two hours!
​
Dundee and St Andrews universities are reachable, but if you want to study at other Scottish universities your journey will be lengthy. Edinburgh is do'able at a stretch; Glasgow is a bit of a jaunt, but reachable. But in truth, why be determined to remain in Newburgh when it can offer very little else other than poor public transport and very little entertainment.​
The transformational train station
According to Network Rail, Stations bring regular footfall. Passengers spend money in town centres at cafés, shops, services, and leisure venues, generating significant local economic activity. In the UK, rail passengers contribute almost £100 billion per year to local communities.
​
A rail station would encourage more people to come to Newburgh. And with increased passenger footfall so new leisure businesses would open to take advantage of this. A virtuous circle where more to do and see means more people wanting to come.
​
but a train station, by itself is not a silver bullet. It must go hand-in-hand with local development. What options are there?
​
Ecotourism​​​​​​​​
A Tay and Earn Tourism and Adventure business has been discussed. There are other similar ideas too. But without a station sustainable tourism is compromised by most visitors coming by car.
Newburgh is blessed with beautiful country surrounds, with rolling hills and the wide river Tay. It is home to a rich abundance of wildlife including the Otter, Beaver and Osprey.
Entertainment on the High Street
​Increased number of visitors to the town will attracts food and beverage businesses. Walk down Newburgh High Street and you'll quickly spot a building that was once a commercial property. Some sit derelict while others have been converted to flats.
With increased visitors (and workers), the street could return to something of what it was.
The Abbey Inn - a pub set to open again
Exploring Newburgh's future
Fife Council Leader Ross at the Newburgh workshiop
A workshop was held in September 2024 at Lindores Whisky distillery to explore what a rail station at Newburgh would mean to the town and the community.
How would Newburgh grow?
Campaign members, local business, local councils and representatives of the transport industry explored what might be possible were Newburgh to get its station.
