How Montrose group is helping breathe new life into Scotland’s widest high street

Since it was laid out in the 12th century under King David I, Montrose High Street has been Scotland’s widest. The 220-foot spire of Montrose Old kirk is one of the tallest in the country. And a town charity is now leading the way in moves to keep folk coming to the stunning thoroughfare made famous in a thousand picture postcards.

ProMo is a volunteer-led community initiative with ambition and a work ethic attracting the attention of ailing town centres around the land.

We spoke to the group about its progress, and how The Courier’s Fresh Start campaign – aimed at helping to fill more empty units through a change to business rates – might help its efforts.

Since 2023, ProMo has brought four empty High Street shops back into use. At Lilybank Bakery on Castle Place, customers queue to empty the shelves of artisan baker Stuart King’s delights every week.

A pop-up space at 54 High Street has a packed booking schedule. Work is continuing to refurbish another town centre unit with a tenant waiting in the wings.

Alongside those, 10 High Street has become ProMo’s HQ, where The Courier sat down with charity chairman David Paton and development officer Cara Gall.

Town architect David spearheaded the group which transformed the town’s old swimming pool into the award-winning Montrose Playhouse cinema in 2021.

“Like everywhere, big retailers are moving out of town, and we are left with the larger units no one wants to take on,” he said.

“Montrose is fortunate because there is still a lot of vibrancy on the high street.

“We don’t have a lot of for sale signs that you might see in other parts of Angus, but we do have a number of bigger units which are empty.”

One is the former M&Co fashion store on the corner of High Street and Hume Street. Last November, ProMo revealed exciting proposals to replace the building with a bowling alley, arcade and cafe at ground level, and about 25 social housing flats above.

The ambitious scheme has some way to go, but work is progressing behind the scenes.

“We’re in talks with a housing association and they are keen to be involved,” said David.

“There is a bit of legwork to do. But the overall plans received an incredibly positive welcome from the community when we put them out.

“When we’re looking at buildings like M&Co, we’re thinking how we can repurpose them into smaller units.

“People are also coming to us with their own ideas.

“It is all about having those conversations and looking at what could be done. Leisure, retail, hospitality, all of these things.”

It illustrates ProMo’s ‘out-of-the-box’ thinking, which could also be applied to another long vacant local landmark.

The former Corner House Hotel sits in the shadow of the towering steeple but closed more than a decade ago. ProMo’s hopes revolve around bringing it back as an aparthotel.

David would like to see the street level developed to include a restaurant of a type Montrose doesn’t already have. A social supermarket is another possibility.

“We want to try to develop things that would complement the town centre,” David added.

Last week, the group revealed a vision to bring Montrose Infirmary back into use as a luxury spa hotel.

Cara said:

“I think we are seen as quite a success story when we speak to groups such as Scotland’s Towns Partnership.

“As a charity, people view us as almost an information hub through our links to organisations such as Business Gateway, Angus Business Hub and others.”

David believes that is something which could help others if the Fresh Start campaign succeeds.

“ProMo are making waves by supporting small units and bringing them back into productive use,” he said.

“One of our difficulties is the access to major funding to make an impact on the bigger units.

“What Fresh Start is trying to achieve would perhaps give people confidence to take on some of these bigger units.

“ProMo has become a place where people can ask questions about buildings that are vacant and for sale.

“If we were able to say to them that there is support for the bigger units then it may get folk looking at them.”

This article appeared in the Courier on 27 June 2026