The picturesque town of Galashiels is located in the Scottish borders on the Gala Water river. It's rural setting near the English border makes it a popular spot for tourists.

Economic overview and key employers

Galashiels is renowned for its textile industry, and it is also the location of the Heriot-Watt School of Textiles. This relatively small town is also the home of the Galashiels Academy, so the area is more than capable of developing the skills of local people. Tourism generates employment in the area via the various lodgings, restaurants and pubs in Galashiels. However, the town received a much-needed boost only a few years ago when major retailers such as Marks & Spencer, ASDA and Boots moved into new developments on the outskirts of the town.

The production of clothing and fabric still accounts for a large proportion of the jobs advertised by recruitment agencies in the area. However, the closure of several production facilities in Galashiels along with the scaling back of manufacturing in others meant, according to Nomis, five percent of the working population were claiming job seeker's allowance in January of 2013 - substantially more than the national average.

The majority of jobs in the area can be found within the manufacturing and processing sectors, but the arrival of major retailers during the last decade means more and more staff vacancies are becoming available in stores and catering outlets.