FOR hundreds of years Paisley boasted the title of Scotland's largest town. But yesterday we told how South Lanarkshire's East Kilbride has stolen the crown.

FOR hundreds of years Paisley boasted the title of Scotland's largest town. But yesterday we told how South Lanarkshire's East Kilbride has stolen the crown. Today CATRIONA STEWART looks at how Paisley turned from a bustling industrial area to an economic ghost town.

ITS famous patterned cloth gave it transatlantic links and world renown. But Paisley, a town steeped in history, is now a shadow of its former self.

A series of poor planning decisions, rival shopping centres and a full-blown recession have left the former weaving town bruised and battered.

Now, the town centre is a mix of betting shops, pound shops and pubs - peppered with To Let signs.

Established in 1577, Paisley developed an international reputation throughout the 19th and early 20th century thanks to the weaving industry.

The town, which was rejected for city status in 1999 and 2001, has a rich history and important Victorian heritage.

Paisley Abbey, it is widely accepted, was where William Wallace was schooled.

Paisley's architectural heritage boasts over 250 listed buildings while St Mirren FC's history features Archie Gemmill and the rise to prominence of Sir Alex Ferguson.

And the local theatre group helped fine-tune the talents of Hollywood star James McAvoy, singer Paolo Nutini and Fame Academy winner David Sneddon for stardom.

But for some, Paisley has had its chips. Just last month one of the town's most popular sons, Paolo Nutini, slammed his former home, saying the council has let the area down.

He said: "It used to have a cinema, a bowling alley and an ice rink. Now these things are gone. There is nothing to do there now.

"It's bad for drink and drugs and gambling and it's got the most bookies for the size of it in the whole of Europe. The council should be ashamed of itself."

Strathand Security in the town's Moss Street has been run by the Torrance family for more than 20 years.

Shirley Torrance says she's witnessed the sad decline of the town centre - and claims the council just aren't doing enough to help.

The 40-year-old blames the planners and believes the problems began with the pedestrianisation of the town centre.

Officials decided on the move 10 years ago - and it has been fiercely contested ever since.

She said: "When the town centre was closed to cars footfall fell dramatically. We're also heavily policed by traffic wardens so people leave their cars for a few minutes to pop into a shop and then they get a ticket.

"Those people aren't ever going to come back.

"We close now on a Saturday because there just aren't enough people coming in to the shop.

"We also have a serious problem with rubbish and rats in the older tenement buildings. The town is in squalor now and it's something we must deal with."

In the halycon days, Paisley could boast a high-end high street with House of Fraser, Arnotts, Marks & Spencer, Littlewoods, Woolworths and the Co-op.

Now, M&S is the only one left and even that has turned into an outlet store.

Local specialist shops have also suffered. The greengrocers is gone, as is the butcher and florist; the kind of shops that make each town's high street special.

The closing of town centre streets to cars also pushed shoppers away from Paisley.

And retailers say they have seen a 50% slump in trade over the last decade.

The once-bustling town centre has suffered serious decline even in the past year.

The number of empty units in the high street have risen from one in eight to one in four - totalling 50 empty shop units.

Critics say giant malls Braehead and Silverburn damaged the small, local stores before the credit crunch struck the final blows.

Paisley is just one of many towns facing an identity crisis in the face of new shopping malls and edge-of-town supermarkets.

Even St Mirren have moved from their Love Street home Tesco plans to build a 24-hour superstore on Renfrew Road but protesters say this would hinder any chance of the town's recovery.

Campaigners believe the town will only recover by boosting small retailers, which they say is impossible with Tesco as competition.

Maggie Kennedy, of Paisley Transition Town which campaigns to improve the town, said: "If the council grants planning permission for the giant supermarket, it would be failing in its duty to safeguard the viability of the town centre.

"Tesco will turn Paisley into a ghost town by taking trade away from local shops."

But Tesco counters this claim by saying the new store, if approved, will bring 400 new full-time and 200 part-time jobs.

Shirley added: "I'm in my 40s now and there's nothing here for women my age. Even though I know first-hand the state of decline, I still take the train into Glasgow for my shopping.

"Paisley was a great town. It really is sad. Sad and frustrating."

So what's gone wrong with Paisley?
ALEC GALLAGHER, 52, cleaner, Paisley: "People drop litter and don't care. New bins have been put around the town but they're not used. Night time drunks from clubs adds to the bad image."	KAREN McANDREW, 47, library assistant, Paisley: "Braehead has killed Paisley as everyone goes there to shop now. I'm not sure if anything can be done to turn this around."	JONATHAN EVANS, 20, business adviser, Kilwinning: "I work here but the main problem is a lack of investment in the town. Nothing can be done if people don't want to help."	JOANNE CURRANS, 28, HR adviser, Stewarton: "As someone who is here during the day for work, I would say that the High Street needs a lot of work. There aren't enough shops.	EILEEN CAMPBELL, 59, housewife, Paisley: "Paisley has gone downhill. The rates for shops are too high and I'm not sure they'll survive this recession. Traffic is another problem.