Alloa is a town located within Clackmannanshire, set within the Central Lowlands of Scotland. It lies on the north bank of the Firth of Forth near the foot of the Ochil Hills, 5.5 miles (8.9 kilometres) east of Stirling and 7.9 miles (12.7 kilometres) north of Falkirk. The name possibly means 'rock plain'. At the time of the 2001 census, Alloa had a permanent population of 18,989. Upgrades had been made to the harbour throughout the 18th century, resulting in Alloa thriving as a river port by which the merchandise produced in Glasgow were exported to continental Europe. During that time, and till the 1950s, the primary industry to the north and east of the town was coal mining. Wool has also always been plentiful in the area and in the early years of the nineteenth century, John Paton started a little yarn-spinning enterprise inside the town, later establishing Kilncraigs Mill. His firm merged with J. & J. Baldwin of Halifax in 1924 to become the world-famous Paton & Baldwins Ltd. Alloa was noted for its weaving and glassmaking industries through the 19th and into the early 20th century. Alloa has long been linked to the brewing industry, with at least nine major breweries producing ales at its height. It was also home to a distillery. After the closure of the distillery, barrel production has continued to flourish in the town. The town offers a thriving shopping centre, with nationally recognised supermarket chains on the site of the old distillery, near to the railway station. For all your house improvements, be certain that you employ trustworthy professionals in Alloa to ensure that you get the best quality work.