Lockerbie "a dump"

For the past few days the Scottish newspapers (and some UK ones) have been running the story of SNP MSP Christopher Harvie's description of Lockerbie as "a dump" with two-thirds of shops derelict, and shell-suited drunken youths rampaging in the streets. Professor Harvie has partially recanted but the row rumbles on. Here is an article on the subject from one of the local newspapers, The Dumfries & Galloway Standard.

As someone born and brought up in the town, and who last visited it in November 2007, I can testify that Harvie is grossly exaggerating. The town has attractive buildings, the vast majority of the commercial premises are occupied (and those few which are not are certainly not derelict) and the youth are no more prone to drunken hooliganism than the youth of other Scottish towns and cities (which is not, perhaps, saying too much).