Alloa
Alloa is a town located in Clackmannanshire, set inside the Central Lowlands of Scotland. It is located on the north bank of the Firth of Forth near to the foot of the Ochil Hills, 5.5 miles (8.9 kilometres) east of Stirling and 7.9 miles (12.7 km) north of Falkirk. The name possibly means 'rock plain'. As per the 2001 census, Alloa had a resident population of 18,989. Upgrades were made to the harbour during the 18th century, leading to Alloa thriving as a river port by which the goods produced in Glasgow were exported to continental Europe. During that time, and until the 1950s, the main industry to the north and east of the town was coal mining. Wool has also normally been plentiful in the area and in the early years of the 1800s, John Paton established a modest yarn-spinning company in the town, later establishing Kilncraigs Mill. His business merged with J. & J. Baldwin of Halifax in 1924 to become the world-famous Paton & Baldwins Ltd. Alloa was renowned for its weaving and glassmaking industries throughout the 19th and into the early 20th century. Alloa has long been linked to the brewing sector, with at least nine major breweries producing ales at its height. It was also home to a distillery. Following the closure of the distillery, barrel cooperage has continued to flourish in the town. The town boasts a thriving shopping centre, with nationally recognised supermarket chains on the site of the old distillery, near to the railway station. For all your home upgrades, make certain that you employ trustworthy pros in Alloa to make sure that you get good quality work.
