2000 - 2003

2000 (Jan) Home-Start Angus move to Keptie St. 2000 (Jan) George Stewart Funeral Directors Ltd. open at 44 Millgate Loan. George has previously worked for Copland & Mackays Funeral Directors Ltd. 2000 Elliot firm Moray Firth Maltings merge with Hugh Baird & Son to form Bairds Malt. 2000 (Jul) Finesse Control Systems Ltd are established in Princes St. 2000 The 1st phase of the Focus / Mcdonalds development at Westway is complete. Around now Asda buys adjacent land for a supermarket. Plans are rejected & the issue remains unresolved. 2000 Colin McNab, landlord of the Crown Inn at 41 West Abbey Street since 1955, retires. 2000 Irene's Lingerie open for business at 255 High St. 2000 Ian & Phyllis Booth, owners of AK Adamson, Keptie St., acquire the business of Millar, Gray St., Broughty Ferry. 2000 (Sep 30) The BBC produced 'A History Of Britain', written & presented by Simon Schama is released. The series includes footage filmed in Arbroath. 2000 Craig Nisbet is appointed editor of the Arbroath Herald. 2000 (Oct) Niall Milne takes ownership of the Meadowbank Inn. 2000 (Oct) www.theshoppie.com is launched, a joint commercial venture by Howard Cargill, David Spink & Allan Wallace. It will promote the sale of Arbroath goods worldwide, but the multi-faceted 'meeting place' will prove beneficial in many more ways. 2000 (Oct) 'The Arbroath & Forfar Railway: The Dundee Direct Line & The Kirriemuir Branch' by Niall Ferguson is published. 2000 Mechserv (offshore well service equipment) open in Kirkton Ind Est. 2000 (Nov) George S. Shepherd dies aged 76. Shepherd Lane in Kirkton honours him. 2001 (Jan 26) The ' Corn Exchange ' lives again - this time the name revived in JD Witherspoon's new pub/restaurant in Market Place. the building has been the original Corn Exchange, The Olympia Cinema & an indoor market. 2001 Framed letters of thanks are presented to mechanic Allan Russell, 2nd Coxwain Robert Yule and crew member Peter Willis for saving three crew of the yacht 'Grouse', run aground in fog at Danger Point. 2001 (Feb) James O'Brien, creator of 'Pleasureland', dies. 2001 (Mar) Hearts FC pay a £75k transfer fee in signing Arbroath FCs Andy Webster. 2001 Matt Kerr receives a four star grading from S.T.B. 2001 The population is 22,785 (census). 88.9% of this figure were born in Scotland. 2001 Lloyds TSB premises at Marketgate / Commerce Street corner are extended. Marylin's Ladies Hair Salon was on this site. 2001 (Jun 1) 'Old Arbroath' by Fiona Scharlau is published. 2001 The sensitively designed Abbey Visitor Centre opens - welcoming all to ' The Icon ' of Scottish nationhood. It occupies the site of the masons' yard during the Abbey's construction. 2001 'Arbroath, A Sixties Almanac' by Bruce Middleton is published. 2001 (Oct) The statue of Robert the Bruce & Bernard de Linton is unveiled at the West Common. 2001 R. R. Spink & Sons' Seagate premises are vacated - all fish processing now being handled at their two Kirkton Factories. 2001 James & Jean Stewart open 'Sugar & Spice' in 9-11 High Street at the Fit O' The Toun. 2001 Arbroath FC back in the 1st Division - first time since 1980. 2001 (Dec) Connelly & Yeoman take over premises in Market Square (formerly Naylor's Cafe & earlier Bunter's Tearoom). 2002 (Jan) 'Pie Bobs', the traditional Arbroath bakery, is acquired by Muriel Braid & Neil Elford. 2002 (Feb) Fishing boat 'Floreat' (AH68) is being broken up in the harbour under the E.C.s decommissioning scheme. Only lobster & crab boats now operate from Arbroath. 2002 (Mar) 'Huckleberry' open in Guthrie Port. 2002 (Mar/Apr) RM Condor's marines leave for Afghanistan. 2002 (Apr 21) Commando gunners, 'toughened & trained in Arbroath', fire shells into rock face high above a suspected Al-Qaeda cave complex in Afghanistan. 2002 (May 7) 'Tied At The Tail: The Smokies Story', directed by Fergus Mitchell, is released by Saltire Films & Television Prods. 2002 129 High Street becomes ''Wright's Cafe Bar'. It has housed 'Neeter's Bar', 'The Cabin' & 'Maddison's' public bars. 2002 'Callaghan's ' public bar at 3 Fisheracre becomes 'The Plough'. It had been 'The Plough & Harrow' up to 1993. 2002 George & Lorraine Williams take over the lease of The Portcullis Bar, 6 Conon Terrace.. 2002 D. T. Wilson's furniture business closes at 99 High Street. 2002 The 'Anchor Bar' opens at 16 Westport (previously 'Chaplins'). 2002 McGregors Walk/Dale Court/Andrew Welsh Way are built, Mr. Welsh having been the SNP MP for Angus 1997-2001. 2002 After a long period of neglect, the site at 1 Burnside Drive which between 1974 & 1991 had supported both Carlaw Lambs & Bob Hall's garages, becomes the Golden Lion car sales business under the ownership of Doug Matthewson. 2002 Starter Packs Angus is established, supplying essential household items to homeless & needy individuals & families. 2002 Arbroath Vics are promoted into Tayside Premier Divison. 2003 (?) 'Angus & Kincardineshire's Lost Railways' by Gordon Stansfield is published. 2003 Edward J. Cowan writes 'For Freedom Alone': The Decl of Arbroath, 1320. 2003 Geoffrey Barrow edits: 'Declaring Arbroath', in The Declaration of Arbroath History, Significance & Setting. 2003 In the Scottish Local Government Elections, Liberals hold 'Arbirlot & Hospitalfield' (Peter J. Nield) & 'Keptie' (Richard B. Spiers) & gain 'Arbroath North' (Jennifer C. Spiers). The SNP hold 'Brothock' (Ian J. Angus), 'Harbour' (Alex King) & 'Cliffburn' (Sheena M. Welsh), while an Independent gains 'Hayshead & Lunan' (Robert Ritchie Spink). 2003 Kessar Salimi takes over 'The Bell Rock' Restaurant & renames it 'The Bervie Chipper'. 2003 A nuclear bunker, built at Peasiehill, Elliot in 1958 goes up for sale. It is bought by Cheryl Stewart who intends to restore to it's original condition. 2003 (Mar 22) Jeremy Seal's historical novel, 'The Wreck At Sharpnose Point' , part fact - part fantasy, is published. The subject is the very real demise of the Arbroath brig 'Caledonia' on the Cornwall coast in 1842. 2003 The 'Star Bar' on Westport closes. 2003 'Saffron' opens at 30 Millgate. 2003 The Co-op Travel Agents (High St. end of Abbeygate Centre) closes. 2003 'The Declaration' bar opens at 99 High Street. 2003 Arbroath Sports Climbs is founded. 2003 12 Market Place becomes the 'All Stars Bar'. 2003 (Jul 1) 'Sewing & Fabric Centre' opens for business in the High Street. 2003 (Aug) Ian Booth, owner of AK Adamson, Keptie St., dies. 2003 (Aug) An on screen virtual 12th century tour is introduced at the Abbey Visitor Centre where this month visitor numbers have risen from 6,634 p.a. in 2001 to a current 14,026 p.a. 2003 Lunan Design Jewellery is established in Inverkeilor. 2003 A ten property development by MBHA is completed at Kirkton. 2003 CMS Heating & Plumbing open at Elliot Ind. Estate. 2003 Centenary of the Arbroath Artisan Golf Club. 2003 Dualling of the A92, first considered in 1963, finally gets underway. 2003 (Nov 1) C.M. Supplies open for business at 8 Brothock Bridge.

George S. Shepherd & Ruby Melvin

Arbroath FC 1st Division !

Courtesy Arbroath Sports Climbs

Our Local Electoral Wards: 23: Arbirlot & Hospitalfield 24: Keptie 25: Arbroath North 26: Brothock 27: Hayshead & Lunan 28: Harbour 29: Cliffburn These wards will become simply two large wards in 2006.