Paisley Named Scotland’s Town of the Year – And This Is Only the Beginning
- Gavin Divers
- 6 days ago
- 4 min read
Paisley has just been named Town of the Year at the Scotland Loves Local Awards – and this morning our founder, Gavin Divers, was invited onto BBC Radio Scotland to speak about Paisley’s remarkable comeback story. He will return on air again at 9:50am as the nation turns its attention to a town that has fought hard to reclaim its place on the map.
This is more than a headline. More than an award. It is proof of something many of us here already knew – Paisley is rising.
A Town Once Written Off – Now Leading Scotland
Paisley has been overlooked for years. We have all heard the same tired lines – “empty shops,” “run down,” “nothing here.” But today the country is finally seeing what Buddies have always known. Paisley isn’t dying. Paisley is rebuilding.
The judges from Scotland Loves Local praised the town for:
A remarkable community-led revival
Strong cultural regeneration projects
Rising numbers of independent businesses
Town centre confidence growing again
A new sense of pride and identity
With Paisley Museum reopening next year, new investment in schools and housing and a surge in visitor interest, Paisley has reached what the judges called a “critical turning point.”
And that is exactly what we see every day on the streets with our tours.
Paisley on BBC Radio Scotland
This morning, BBC Radio Scotland invited Paisley Tours founder Gavin Divers onto Good Morning Scotland to talk about the award and about Paisley’s growing tourism story.
Gavin spoke about how local people have fought to turn the town around, not by waiting for someone else to do it, but by getting up and doing it themselves.
“Paisley isn’t just making a comeback – it’s building a future. We see people from America, Germany, Australia and all over the UK coming here for our history. They tell us the same thing every time – I had no idea Paisley was this important. Well now they do.”
— Gavin Divers, Paisley Tours
If you missed the interview, he will be back on air at 9:50am to share more about why Paisley should never be underestimated again.
🎧 Listen live here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/live/bbc_radio_scotland_fm
Why Paisley Won
Paisley’s story is not just about buildings or investment. It is about people.
This award belongs to:
Local small businesses who took a risk and opened doors
Community groups who never stopped believing
Creators, artists and historians who kept telling Paisley’s story
Volunteers who protect our heritage
Every single person who chose to back their town
More than 20 new independent businesses opened in Paisley this year alone, and footfall is rising thanks to community events, local hospitality and new visitor attractions.
This didn’t happen by accident. It happened because Paisley refused to give up.
What Paisley Tours Is Doing for the Revival
Paisley Tours began with a simple idea – bring people back into Paisley town centre, one story at a time. Now we are seeing that become a movement.
In the last year:
Over 1,300 people explored Paisley through our tours
Visitors travelled from the USA, Canada, Germany, Norway and Australia
We earned the Tripadvisor Badge of Excellence – Top 10% Tours Worldwide
We launched six local experiences:
Historic Paisley Walking Tour
The Witches of Paisley Walking Tour
Coats, Clarks and the Paisley Pattern
William Wallace and the Royals Buried at the Abbey
Children’s Treasure Hunt
Corporate Treasure Hunt
We opened the Discover Paisley hub at 2 County Place – a space that has already welcomed thousands through its doors
We are not a big company. We are a local social enterprise built in Paisley, for Paisley.
Every ticket sold helps fund local heritage work, free history exhibitions and community projects. When people book a tour, they are directly helping Paisley grow.
Paisley Has a Story the World Needs to Hear
Paisley is Scotland’s largest town and once led the world in textiles. The Paisley Pattern travelled from this town to Paris, Milan, New York and London. We have links to William Wallace, Robert Burns, Mary Queen of Scots and the Industrial Revolution.
Our town gave the world radical thinkers, inventors and poets. And yet for too long, our story was forgotten. No more.
Through storytelling, heritage, business and local pride, Paisley is taking control of its future.
The National Spotlight Is Just the Start
Paisley is now officially Town of the Year. That brings national attention. National attention brings visitors. Visitors bring spending.
Spending brings jobs. Jobs bring opportunity.
This award is not the finish line. It is the starting point of a new chapter.
But that momentum will not last unless we keep pushing. Paisley needs people to:
✅ Visit
✅ Support local
✅ Share our story
✅ Believe in this town
If we do that – the future of Paisley will be brighter than ever.
Be Part of Paisley’s Revival
If you are proud of Paisley, now is the time to show it. Come support the businesses, creators and people who are making change happen.
✅ Join us on a walking tour
Discover the real story of Scotland’s most underrated town.
👉 Historic Paisley Walking Tour – explore 1,000 years of history
👉 Witches of Paisley Tour – uncover Scotland’s last mass witch trial
👉 Paisley Pattern & Industrial Heritage Tour – the story that shaped the world
📍 Tours start from 2 County Place, Paisley
🎟️ Book online at: www.paisleytours.org.uk
Final Word
Paisley has made history again – not because someone chose us, but because we chose ourselves. Town of the Year is not a title. It is a message.
Paisley is back.
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