At the heart of every successful town is a strong local economy, providing an exciting
experience for everyone. While most town centres are underpinned by retailing, the range
of other attractions and experiences is what adds value and creates a unique offer.
Our vision for Fort William is for it to become a vibrant town centre and reinvent itself as an
all year round cultural, leisure and retail place to visit. We are already positioned in a
uniquely attractive setting alongside the sea, with the amazing backdrop of Ben Nevis.
Benefitting from being pedestrianised, Fort William has an attractive town centre, with good
cafes, shops, a well renowned museum and a modern cinema and entertainment venue.
As the outdoor capital of the UK, and with our outstanding geographical location, Fort
William is well placed to host sporting and cultural events.
The hospital, high school, Nevis Centre, swimming pool, retailers, builders’ merchants,
transport hub and many other assets, make the town essential to both the local community
and the plethora of visitors who use Fort William as a holiday destination every year.
There is so much we could do to improve the town. Redeveloping the underpass,
conserving historical buildings, improving the rear of the buildings facing the loch, sourcing
tenants for vacant shops, introducing public art, improving our shorefront, encouraging more
use of the High Street entertainment space for events, and much more.
Funding is a major factor for all this work. The Fort William BID committee will have a key
role in leveraging funding from the Highland Council in Inverness and Westminster
Governments. With your help, support and encouragement, the BID team could start this
process very soon and we could be on our way to a new and improved Fort William Town
Centre
