Perth and Kinross Council believes developments such as the £26 million Perth City Hall project and incentive schemes will help rejuvenate Perth City Centre.
Earlier this week the Local Democracy Reporting Service reported how footfall in Perth City had fallen to 10 per cent below the national level and how around 10 per cent of Perth city centre shops are sitting empty.
PKC has told the Local Democracy Reporting Service it is "working hard to support and attract new businesses to Perth".
Last week a report put before PKC's Scrutiny and Performance Committee highlighted the challenges in terms of footfall and empty retail units.
This week PKC told the LDRS it is committed to turning things around. The council hopes its major renovation of Perth City Hall - due to open in 2024 with the Stone of Destiny as its centrepiece - will attract thousands of visitors to the Fair City.
A PKC spokesperson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "A thriving city centre benefits us all and as a council we are working hard to support and attract new businesses to Perth.
"The new museum at Perth City Hall will bring thousands of visitors to Perth each year while the creation of a new boutique hotel at 1-5 High Street will enhance our attractiveness as a visitor destination.
"These are major projects that will have a significant effect on the Perth and Kinross economy. We are also helping existing businesses through schemes like the Open for Business and Adapt your Property funds, which can be used to rejuvenate frontages and bring vacant units back to use."
The Open for Business scheme funds up to half of the cost of projects to improve facades, address empty properties, support "pop up" shops and generally help breathe new life into the high street.
The Communities Annual Performance Report 2021/22 revealed the Open for Business scheme had supported 51 local businesses.
It stated: "The Open for Business (funding of £200,000) was fully committed during 2021/22, with 51 retail, hospitality and customer facing business premises receiving support."
The Adapt Your Property Grants "procure specialist commercial advice to assess current consumer and business demand for commercial and retail
services and property requirements".
The report said: "During 2021/22, 13 Adapt Your Property Grants (funding of £350,000) was fully committed with eight commercial properties coming back into use and five premises converted to residential use."
Reacting to our previous story on Facebook, local residents were keen to highlight the vast array of independent shops Perth has. Many of these have helped make Perth a shopping destination for years.
One resident said: "We have an amazing network of independent shops and businesses. You just need to wander away from the main streets - where the rates are too high for independent retail to flourish.
"Go explore and shout from the rooftops about how great your town is! Encourage people to come, spend money in local shops and maybe more shops will start opening up!"
However others were sceptical about how much impact the Perth City Hall renovation will have.
One said: "I don’t think the carbuncle of a city hall featuring a big stone ( stone of destiny) is going to make much difference to footfall in the city centre. Should have demolished the city hall years ago and created a continental style piazza."
Another added: "Shop local, spend local to save [the] city centre and create more jobs. Win win."
