A KILWINNING blogger is trying to raise £1,500 on Kickstarter to bring Mod and punk subculture to Ayrshire with a new retro clothing and accessories shop – and he has the backing of his two canine friends.

Gregor Miller, who runs The British Subcultures website, has teamed up with Colin Boyd, owner of Rare Trade Records, and Grant Ruxton from Renfrewshire, to open Dead End Street on Kilwinning Main Street.

But Nacho the Jack Russell and Brian the Bassett and Beagle cross are already stealing the limelight from their owner in their retro gear.

Gregor, of Pennyburn, told the Herald: “I've always had an interest in different subcultures. It was through a lot of bands in the 90s that I got into subculture style and music.

“I've been running The British Subcultures blog for a few years now and I have been helping push brands and shops through it, though I've always liked the idea of opening my own shop. After the recent success of Rare Trade Records in Kilwinning, I thought it would be a good time to stop thinking about it and actually do it. Although there is a subculture scene, there's not really anything like it in the area. I've spoken to folk in the record shop about it and they thought it was a great idea.

“I know down here in Ayrshire there's a bit of a scene. There are a few local bands that are doing well and there are a lot of younger people now getting into different subcultures. There's also the Mod Rally at Troon every year and other events like the scooter ride-out in Ayr. It would be good to give the Scooter Club somewhere in the area to stop off and bring.”

Named after the 1966 song by The Kinks, Dead End Street will cater for men and women with a love of subcultures. Gregor, who works in digital marketing, has managed to secure premises at 148 Main Street and is trying to raise funds through Kickstarter to make his dream a reality. But even though the store is an empty shell at the moment, it seems that it already has its own security team – Gregor's dogs Nacho and Brian.

The 34-year-old said: “Nacho and Brian have been up at the shop a few times. Nacho's getting on a bit now. He's a wee Jack Russell but he thinks he's a big man. He can be a wee yapper but once he gets to know you, he's really friendly. Brian is just everyone's pal, he loves everybody.

“At the moment I've got the premises and we're also getting some stock but we've got a long way to go and we're on a stretched budget. We need to bring in stock, fit the shop and secure our future for long enough to become established. I'm still continuing with my current job until we can get the shop open so any money raised wont be going into anyone's back pocket.

“We have lots of plans for Dead End Street but with a Kickstarter campaign we can do all these things a bit quicker.”

To help Gregor get his idea off the ground, visit his Kickstarter page at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1268098113/subculture-shop-for-men-and-women?ref=hero_thanks