A step back in time

I took advantage of the good weather today to head down to the Ayrshire coast. I went to Girvan, the town where I spent every summer holiday until I was 7 years old. I remember lots of people on the beach, the beach donkeys, the motor boots, the putting green, the fair ground with the helter skelter, the amusements, loads of fishing boats in the harbour whose names I used to know, the bowling green where my dad played in their annual tournament and where I spent a large part of my day.
Today, on a beautifully hot and sunny day at the end of the Glasgow Fair fortnight holiday, it was so different - the beach was virtually empty, the donkeys, motor boots and putting green long gone. There was only one fishing boat to be seen. The fairground area is a construction site for a swimming pool. There was no tournament at the bowling green, in fact no-one was playing at all. Do people still go there on holiday? I doubt it. Like many Scottish towns, it looks and feels tired. The old attractions have gone and not been replaced. I find that quite sad.