Steven Stewart: Viewpoint

Why telling our story matters

Stories have always been part of my life living and working in Perth. My dad was a journalist with the Perthshire Advertiser and growing up I saw first-hand through his reporting the good, the bad and the ugly of the city I’m proud to call home. Yes, proud.

I frequently hear and read the same regularly repeated complaints in conversation, on social media or in print. “It’s not what it used to be.” “There’s nothing to do.” “It’s all the fault of the Council.” I’ll guarantee the same phrases have been said and heard in every decade.

Being proud of the place where you live or work doesn’t mean you’re blind to its faults, can’t see where it can be improved, or don’t accept the need for change.

In my work with the Business Partnership, and my 35-year career in communications and running my own business, I’ve seen the importance of bringing people together to address challenges and leverage opportunities.

Just as important as partnership is the story we tell about our city and wider region – to visitors, potential investors and incoming businesses, and to people in our own communities.

You wouldn’t expect to sell a house and have buyers scrambling to make an offer by focusing your marketing on the faults and flaws of the property. Selling our place is no different.

Cities across the country are battling for attention as the visitor economy becomes ever more competitive and crucial to their prosperity. As public spending shrinks, regional economies remain fragile and change on the high street accelerates, explaining what makes a place distinctive is critical.

Eight years ago, I was one of several partners who worked with place branding experts on a project to develop a new Perth Story. I’m pleased to see Perth and Kinross Council taking the initiative to revive and refresh that important work.

A lot has happened in the intervening years, but what remains fundamental is that we need a comprehensive and well- crafted story to promote the city of Perth and our wider region.

It’s about far more than a slogan – and there will always be differing views on what any strapline should be.

What’s critical is that the campaign is developed from the considered reflections and ideas of a wide range of partners across our region. It also has to be authentic.

The work undertaken in 2018 was true to our place. It was based on deep local research and engagement around what local people and organisations felt were our stand-out assets. Our location in the heart of Scotland, our high-quality independent retailers, producers and artisans, our incredible natural environment.

We listened to their voices and produced a narrative reflecting not just our heritage and the here and now, but our future aspiration as the most sustainable small city in Europe.

Despite the challenges facing our communities here in 2026, Perth remains a fantastic place to live, visit, work and learn. Numerous surveys highlight our quality of life relative to other places in the UK, as well as our leading investment and business growth potential.

I’m savvy enough to understand that a marketing campaign alone isn’t a silver bullet and there are other complementary actions needed to chart a better future for Perth and the wider region.

That includes how our city looks and the experiences it offers, both for citizens and visitors. How we work together to make our city better. Renewing pride in our city and towns, and getting communities more invested in their future.

I often feel those from outside our region are frequently better advocates for Perth, its beauty, and its best qualities than those who live here. They see, appreciate and value what many of us locals don’t.

Fresh ideas – whether it’s around the design of our city, new uses for empty properties, or innovative projects like the planned new enterprise, skills and employability hub in Perth – are key to the way forward.

The new place campaign is a huge opportunity to reframe the story we tell about our region. If we want a more prosperous future for our communities, it’s the responsibility of us all to get behind that positive campaign, contribute our insights and expertise, and make our voice heard.