A gift shop owner is celebrating his one year anniversary of trading in the “friendliest street” in Ayr town.
John Beales of The Wise Penny, on thriving Newmarket Street, has toasted to one year in business and said he wouldn’t change his new venture “for the world.”
The Wise Penny sells everything from souvenirs and everyday products like confectionary and newspapers to more specifically requested items like radios, alarm clocks, and combs.
John, who used to work in the building trade, is bucking the trend after taking the leap of opening a shop during a pandemic and now battling a cost of living crisis.
“I wouldn’t change it for the world,” he said.
“We’re a year in and it’s just fun.
“Newmarket Street is lovely. We’ve only got about two shops which are currently empty, which when you look at the main town, we’re streets in front now.
“It’s the friendliest street, everybody is helping everybody.
“People will walk in with a cup of coffee for me because they know I’m stuck and can’t get out because I’m in here on my own.”
In the summer John — whose wife Lesley just opened up her own gifts and crafts shop at the top of the town on Smith Street — helped dozens of school kids learn about cash and how to spend their pocket money.
He said: “It was brilliant. I spent days organising little bags saying 5p, 10p, 20p etc, and they all had 50p each to spend.
“A lot of kids don’t use money these days — I get seven and eight-year-olds in and they use their parents’ cards.
“I’m hoping they’ll do it again next year."
But John raised concerns that Newmarket Street’s unique positioning and lack of signage may be stopping tourists and visitors visiting the street as they don’t realise it is there.
He said: “There’s no indication on either end of the street to show that we’re here.
“It would be great to get some signs up either end of the street which said something like ‘Newmarket Street- Home of Independent Traders’- so that visitors knew we were all down here.
“I think a lot of tourists stop at the Grain Exchange and don’t realise we are around the corner.”
A Council spokesperson said any ideas to improve the town were welcomed as part of the Accessible Ayr consultation- an ambitious project by South Ayrshire Council, Ayrshire Roads Alliance and Sustrans to significantly invest in the town centre.
They said: “Newmarket St forms part of the current Accessible Ayr consultation which runs until December 12.
“We would encourage anyone with ideas on how to improve access to streets and the shopping experience in and around Ayr Town Centre to take part in the consultation.
“For more info visit www.south-ayrshire.gov.uk/accessible-ayr."
Accessible Ayr public drop in events are being held at:
•The Grain Exchange on High Street on Thursday, November 17 from 11am until 4pm
•Ayr Central Shopping Centre on Saturday, November 19 at from 11am until 4pm.
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