Saturday 1 October

Kilmarnock looks better in the morning light but is still very evidently battered by economic problems. There are whole streets of empty shops and nothing makes a place look troubled like boarded up shops. Around the country there are plenty of empty shops. In the affluent areas the windows have attractive posters which talk vaguely of ‘exciting new opportunities’, here the developers know there can’t be any problems, only ‘opportunities’. In the slightly less affluent areas, the windows are empty but everything has been cleaned away, the ‘to let’ signs show that there is still hope. Once you get to the poorer areas the empty shops still have bits of stock and shop fitments lying around. But once whole streets have been boarded up you know this is not a recent event.

Parts of Kilmarnock seem to have had money spent but it doesn’t seem to have had the desired effect of regeneration. Recently I read Edward Glaeser’s Triumph of the City. He sees cities as man’s great achievement and that we shouldn’t worry about cities. He writes of how regeneration money often has the opposite effect of that intended. It certainly seems that it is employment and jobs that transform. Spending on fancy buildings doesn’t help. And I’m beginning to wonder if all that zoning and segmenting that works when things are getting better, make things worse when the economy declines.

The roads, car parks, civic centres separate people and this seems to exacerbate problems. It must be the lack of jobs that is the real problem, but the drug dealers go in when things get bad; there is redundancy money to be spent and loyal customers to be created. The empty spaces add to the sense of alienation and provide places to buy and sell. The cynicism with which the drugs trade uses the tactics of marketing continues to disturb me. But I suppose if they work, then they will get used more widely.

I’m travelling south and back into England. Much as on the Ayrshire coast there are comfortable and uncomfortable towns along the way. Some seem to be thriving and people are out walking dogs, buying newspapers, enjoying the weekend. In other towns things seem to be tougher; more walking sticks, fewer smiles, pushchairs with children pushing them – unclear whether they are older sisters or young mums. The pushchairs are smart but little else seems to be upbeat.

Being out of London makes me realise how rich London is. Yes, it has its share of poor as well. But far more rich people than anywhere else in the country and the gaps between rich and poor are greater but somehow it’s easier to see the affluence of London. The poverty is more hidden and it’s easy to miss it (unless it’s where you live).

Out of London there are plenty of small towns and villages that aren’t that rich but seem to lead a good life, a cheery life and a connected life. There are plenty of people out and about, enjoying the weekend, seeing friends and family – and shopping isn’t the main part of their lives. I drive along one of my favourite road in Britain – the road from Brampton to Alston and then on to Melmerby. For the first part the roads are empty and the scenery spectacular. Alston to Melmerby is a favourite for drivers and the road is busier with a mix of cyclists, motorcyclists and local perfecting their racing lines. Concentration on the road is required, but it’s difficult with hills and dales stretched out in misty shades of blue like the background of a Leonardo da Vinci painting.