Saltcoats  

A history of the town and the vision for the future

Saltcoats has a long and varied history.  It's name comes from the cots or small cottages associated with salt workers.  At one time there were two salt pans at Saltcoats.  Sea water was evaporated to create rock salt, which was in demand for curing herring.  The port was also once busy with coal and iron produced in Stevenston to which Saltcoats was linked by a canal and rail line.  However the town is best known as a resort and for the first two thirds of the 20th century it was famous as a holiday place for the people of Glasgow who would arrive by train. This period in the town's history is immortalised in the Billy Connolly song ‘Saltcoats by the Sea'.

There are many examples of seaside resorts in the UK that have reinvented themselves.  These include Wick, Hern Bay, Newcastle in Northern Ireland and Bexhill on Sea.  While each town is different, the key in most cases is to appeal to day trippers, to provide a more up-market offer and to give people enough to keep them occupied for at least half a day.  This often includes the development of the arts through studios, galleries and public art.  It can also include water sports such as wind surfing and jet skiing. Another ingredient is food which helps to project a quality image and adds to the visitor experience. The vision for Saltcoats is therefore as a modern, up-market seaside resort which is seen as a good place to visit and to live.