Judges praise Aberdeenshire community for rallying behind local traders
Inverurie - one of the fastest-growing places in Scotland - has been presented with the title of Town of the Year.
The community of the picturesque Aberdeenshire market town was singled out for rallying behind local traders by the judges in the Scotland Loves Local Awards.
Organisers praised the community for staging showpiece events and boosting business by attracting thousands of people.
Inverurie has one of the highest retail occupancy rates of any Scottish town, with a mix of generations-old family businesses, unique independent stores and national retailers.
It has also bucked the trend of many by retaining the four major high street banks, as well as a building society, with footfall up per cent in the year to January.
Television presenter Sean Batty - an ambassador for Scotland Loves Local - joined townsfolk to present the Town of the Year prize and celebrate their success.
He said: “Inverurie is buzzing. It’s fantastic to see the town so busy.
“It’s a lovely place and it’s clear to see just how proud people and businesses - some of which have been serving the community for three and four generations - are of the area. The way in which they are pulling together to create a real success story is so uplifting.”
Success for Inverurie follows years of collective working involving businesses, community organisations, volunteers, residents and the public sector.
Provost of Aberdeenshire, Councillor Judy Whyte, a lifelong Inverurie resident, said: “I couldn’t be prouder for Inverurie to be Scotland’s Town of the Year. We have so much to offer here - for visitors, as well as people who choose to live and work here. It’s a great place.
“This is a special market town which has retained its country heart, while having everything that people need in their modern life.
“Its success lies in the fact that we have a great community of people who each do lots of really meaningful things. Collectively, that all comes together to be a huge success.”
We Are Inverurie Business Improvement District (BID) works alongside Inverurie Events and others to help attract people to the town.
That work includes launching The Garioch Pipe Band Championships in Kellands Park last year (2025), attracting an estimated 9,000 visitors.
It is on top of the annual Big Switch On of the town’s Christmas lights, which attracts about 8,000 people as well as the monthly farmers’ market which has doubled in size since 2024, with 34 stalls drawing shoppers into the Market Square.
The Scotland Loves Local Awards are supported by the Scottish government.
Minister for Business and Fair Work Tom Arthur said: “I would like to congratulate Inverurie on being named Scotland's Town of the Year.
“This award recognises the collective effort of the local community, businesses and organisations, and highlights how a strong Business Improvement District, combined with a community-led approach, can help unlock a town's potential and create a thriving future for all who live, work and visit there.”
Official statistics show that Inverurie’s population grew by a fifth (19 per cent) to 15,106 between 2011 and 2022.