Hamiltons Estate Agency
East Kilbride

East Kilbride is South Lanarkshire's largest town and has Scotland's largest undercover shopping centre.

Its location and good infrastructure make East Kilbride easily accessible from the motorway network, with most of central Scotland within a 45-minute drive.

Industry within the town is located in a number of peripheral business parks, while its commercial and administrative areas are home to offices of central and local government. In 2001 East Kilbride provided 30% of South Lanarkshire's jobs. The largest private sector employer in the town is Motorola, reflecting the attraction to the town of electronic companies. Other major employers include Rolls Royce, Jeyes, the Inland Revenue, Hairmyres Hospital and the Department for International Development. Also on the outskirts, at Jackton, is one of Strathclyde Police's training centres.

East Kilbride has a number of neighbourhoods, ranging from housing built by the now defunct New Town Develpoment Corporation, through to some of the largest private sector housing estates in the west of Scotland - Stewartfield to the north and Lindsayfield to the south of the town.

There is a wide selection of primary schools throughout the area and the multi-million pound modernisation program which is underway, will result in three contemporary secondary schools. South Lanarkshire College which has campuses in East Kilbride and Cambuslang runs courses in construction, business and care.

Other amenities include the Village Theatre, East Kilbride Arts Centre, Kittochside Museum of Country Life, Hunter House Museum and the magnificent Calderglen Country Park. Sports facilites in the town include the ice rink at the Olympia Shopping Centre, the Dollan Aqua Centre and an adjacent park for skateboarders and wheeled sports.

East Kilbride's local newspapers are the East Kilbride News which has been published weekly since 1952, the freesheet East Kilbride World and recent arrival the East Kilbride Mail as well as local radio station 107 The Edge and local television station Thistle TV.

Shopping

East Kilbride shopping centre is a must for any shopaholic. Its four malls are undercover, so you don't even have to get your new shoes wet! The whole centre has been developed to provide the highest standards of access and facilities for people with disabilities - including a Shopmobility scheme. A major new bus station is also being constructed in the town centre with the support of Strathclyde Passenger Transport and Land Securities and should be complete by the end of 2004.

You can start the day with some clothes shopping with most high street stores represtented in the Olympia, from Debenhams and Marks and Spencer to Zara, Top Shop and Next. You can stop for a coffee break or a spot of lunch while you watch the skaters at the ice arena before watching a movie at the multi-screen cinema.

On the edge of town there's the Kingsgate Retail Park offering a range of large outlets including DIY and carpet shops.

If cobbled streets and olde worlde charm are more your style you should head for East Kilbride Villagewhere you'll find speciality shops, the 18th century parish church and cobbled streets.

How to get there

East Kilbride straddles the A726, the A725, the A749 and the B764 and is easily accessible from the M8 and M74. East Kilbride is on the main railway line from Glasgow Central. East Kilbride Bus Station is adjacent to the Olympia Arcade and acts as the hub for services throughout the town.

Courtesy of www.southlanarkshire.gov.uk