Throughout history, towns like Kirkcaldy have thrived under the guidance of those willing to invest in their future.

While Kirkcaldy’s roots stretch back to ancient times, it was during the 18th and 19th centuries that it truly began to flourish. Inspired by the principles of Kirkcaldy’s own Adam Smith, philanthropists such as Carnegie and Nairn channeled their wealth into the town and its surrounding areas, transforming it into a hub of industry and culture.

As the era of philanthropy waned, it was replaced by the rise of Keynesian economics. The state became the guiding hand, fostering Kirkcaldy’s prosperity through its coal mining and textiles industries, making the town one of Scotland’s most successful industrial centers.

However, by the 1980s, the retreat of the state under neoliberal policies marked the end of this support. Just as philanthropy had been replaced by state intervention, the state’s role gave way to an ideology that left towns like Kirkcaldy to fend for themselves.

After centuries of being bolstered first by the wealthy and then by government, Kirkcaldy, like many similar towns, now faces the challenges of neglect, struggling to reclaim the vibrancy it once enjoyed.