Tourism, Enterprise and Food

Our Overall Vision (2019)

The potential for the community to develop in a way that encompasses all the ideals discussed in other areas of the project, is just as relevant from a business angle. Community engagement can involve sustainability, education, wellbeing, commerce, tourism and heritage. All of these can be explored from a commercial angle and will allow the project to generate revenue streams to help secure its long-term viability and sustainability.

POTENTIAL IDEAS to be explored with Largo Estate

HUB FOR LOCAL INTEREST ACTIVITY

We aim to engage visitors and the local community and to create a business hub as a gateway to the East Neuk and St Andrews.We are well situated to benefit from our proximity to St Andrews and the East Neuk.

Possible themes

• We could use the Robinson Crusoe theme to attract locals and visitors. This could be developed further for commercial purposes.
• Historically the site’s connection with the Polish community is well documented and presents a wealth of heritage opportunities.
• Local history, e.g. the Wood Family connection; Lower Largo and Robinson Crusoe, has potential to attract more visitors to the area.
• Links to East Neuk – fishing, the Net Factory in Lower Largo
• Food - the doo cot and historical links with the estates
• Explore what the Largo estate was and what it represented and also the remaining estates and how they survive – Balcarres, Balcaskie, Charleton
• The canal

TOURISM

We could use the theme of Robinson Crusoe as an icon as part of a trail across our region, as a link into Fife Five and other Welcome to Fife Apps. LCT could encourage a greater awareness within the local community of the importance of visitors to our economy. We can enrich a visitors’ experiences and be enriched by engaging with them.

We are part of the Levenmouth local tourism area and are creating links with local businesses. This includes new energy operations, a rail link being re-introduced and a new cycle path “ East Neuk 50” between Kirkcaldy and Dundee. These ventures will create new forms of tourism.

Silverburn Park is also creating its own dynamic.

FOOD

Fife has the complete range of food that Scotland produces. As part of the visitor centre, we can have an orientation section to showcase all the foods in their season – and we have the largest distillery in the area.

Cafe food shop - whilst we cannot compete with Balgove Larder, we could make a good effort! Seasonal celebrations - we could have four seasonal events celebrating our surroundings, the brambles in the walled garden are amazing! Newburgh has a plum festival and Crail has a food festival. We are looking at building on the success of the Prom Fest in Leven to develop similar food links and events.

CULTURE

Largo Estate could become an important part of the East Neuk events from the Pittenmweem Art Festival to the East Neuk Festival and the folk and maritime events in between. There are events and festivals in the area from March until November, not forgetting the snowdrops at the Cambo Estate in February!

ENTERPRISE

The area round the old steadings could be developed for commercial purposes, as well as for community development. This could include a Polish connection centre, cafe, regional visitor experience, Lundin Distillery and nurture space for other small local businesses.