NEARLY 100 years after his death, Andrew Carnegie is still giving Dunfermline a shot in the arm.

For the trust that carries his name has become the first charity to sign up to a new scheme that aims to add vibrancy to town centres.

Fittingly, the Carnegie UK Trust signed the Town Centre First Principle during a visit to Andrew Carnegie’s Dunfermline birthplace by Kevin Stewart MSP, Minister for Local Government and Housing on Tuesday. 

The Principle, developed jointly by Scottish Government and COSLA, calls on signatories to make decisions that boost town centres, taking account of medium- to longer-term impacts on centres and the communities they serve.

At the signing of the Principle in Pittencrieff Park, Carnegie UK chief executive Martyn Evans said: “Carnegie UK works to promote wellbeing in town communities across the country.

"In recent years our TestTown programme has helped young entrepreneurs set up businesses in towns, our leadership on Understanding Scottish Places has helped build the UK’s first open data platform for towns, and our research on Pride in Place has demonstrated the link between individual wellbeing and high-quality public space.

Kevin Stewart MSP added: “We want to see towns across Scotland flourish, providing a base for people to live, work, socialise and do business. The Town Centre First Principle is about promoting investment and improving town centres by encouraging businesses and charities like Carnegie UK to take a joint approach to planning, delivering services and supporting towns.”

The minister also visited Miss Pauley’s shop in Dunfermline town centre, run by local entrepreneur, TestTown 2013 national champion and finalist in the Young Enterprise category at the recent Press Community Champions Awards Emma Pauley; and the Fire Station Creative workshops and gallery.