From memories of her granny’s house in the 1960s to her regular spots to visit in Scotland’s newest city, singer Barbara Dickson shares her Dunfermline.
Here’s what the folk legend thinks of the Auld Grey Toun.
What first springs to mind when you think of Dunfermline?
I think of Dunfermline’s ancient past and how proud I am to come from that historic place.
I love the abbey and the monastery ruins. It’s in an idyllic spot.
Do you have any favourite walks/spots to visit in the city?
‘The Glen’ or Pittencrieff Park, to give it it’s posh name, is a huge resource for the citizens of Dunfermline.
It’s a fabulous wild area with wooded paths and also ordered parkland, with lovely buildings within.
Just a walk there is enough to sooth the savage breast!
Who was the person in Dunfermline that had the biggest influence on you?
Apart from my family, John Watt was undoubtedly, the biggest influence on me.
He encouraged me, in the folk club there, when I was very young and was a major player in Scotland within the folksong world.
He was a Dunfermline man and his family had a printing business in the town when I was young.
What’s your first memory of the city?
And odd one… I remember hearing the panel beaters in the works behind my granny’s house and the smell of the welding equipment, which I didn’t understand the meaning of.
I couldn’t see it, only smell and hear it.
Has Dunfermline inspired you in your songwriting?
Yes, I think indirectly, as it influenced me as a young person in the 1960s. However, I haven’t directly written a song about the city, but maybe I should.
Do/did you have a favourite restaurant in Dunfermline?
When I was young there was a café in the High Street called Maloco’s and they had a downstairs area, where you could sit at tables and drink coffee – very sophisticated.
You would also be tempted by cake and ice cream.
My cousin’s jazz band used to play there too, so it was quite the place to go!
Where’s your favourite place to play/see a gig in Dunfermline?
The Carnegie Hall is marvellous and a great place to see any live event.
I first appeared there in a dancing display aged five, but have many times since enjoyed the hospitality of that audience.
What about the best place for a coffee stop?
The Fire Station is a lovely restored facility in the town centre and is a great resource for artists and visitors.
You can see an exhibition and have lunch.
The Abbot House beside the library is lovely in the summer, as, like the Fire Station, you can sit outside!
How is 2025 going for you so far?
I’ve just spend a month in New Zealand with my family and now am gearing up for my shows this year. I thought maybe I was retiring, but it seems not.
I’ve got lots to do in 2025.
- Barbara Dickson is currently touring cities across the UK, including Dunfermline.
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