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MotherwellMotherwell is a Scottish town, in northern Lanarkshire, between Glasgow and Edinburgh. Motherwell was noted as as the steel production capital of Scotland, nicknamed Steelopolis, with its skyline dominated by the water tower and three cooling towers of the Ravenscraig steel plant which closed in 1992. The Ravenscraig plant had one of the longest continuous casting (concast), hot rolling, steel production facilities in the world before it was decomissioned. The closure of Ravenscraig signalled the end of large scale steel making in Scotland and was partly due to Scotland not being a separate member state of the EU which could subsidise the industry. In the past decade, Motherwell has recovered from the high unemployment and economic decline brought about by this collapse of heavy industry. A number of call centres and business parks such as Strathclyde Business Park have set up in the region. Large employers include William Grant & Sons. Motherwell is the headquarters for both North Lanarkshire District Council, which is one of Scotland's biggest Local Authorities, and of Strathclyde Police "N" division and they cover an overall population of 327,000 (93,000 in Motherwell and Wishaw) people throughout North Lanarkshire over 183 square miles. Both are also responsible for sections of the main arterial routes which intersect North Lanarkshire and these are: the M74, which runs North from the M6 into Glasgow along the west side of Motherwell, the M8, which runs West to East from West of Glasgow through to Edinburgh and cuts through the middle of North Lanarkshire from Bargeddie to Shotts, the M73, which runs North/South from Baillieston to the A80(M) south of Cumbernauld, and finally the A80(M), which runs from Stepps to Denny (Stirlingshire) North/South and runs through Cumbernauld town centre. The biggest Fun Park in Scotland is based within Strathclyde Park , which features many sports facilities, as well as having woodland and grass areas ideal for visitors including bird-watchers, anglers, or people out for a quiet,leisurely time, and also features an excavated site of a Roman Mosaic, although this has been covered to protect it. The park itself has also gained a reputation as a meeting place for gay encounters and also boy racers however local police patrols try to disuade this element from the park. Other attractions and sites within Motherwell District are Carfin Pilgrimage Centre and Carfin Grotto . The Grotto was built in nearby Carfin, in the 1920s, mainly by local residents and miners and was originally for the benefit of the Catholic Community, holding Processions and Pilgrimages most Sundays throughout the year and, in it's heyday, saw many thousands attend open-air masses. Others who regularly use the Grotto are from the large Lithuanian and Polish communities who had settles in the area, although many travelled from around Britain to attend. The one diappointment for the local Catholic community was when Pope John Paul II visited Scotland in the 1980's and had hoped that he would visit the only Catholic Shrine in the country but were rewarded only with a "fly-past" by his helicopter. It has a football club Motherwell F.C., which was established in 1886. Known as the "Steelmen" because of the history of steel making in the area they are currently managed by former England international Terry Butcher. Butcher made his home in Scotland after playing for Rangers Football Club. One of the town's most well-known "sons" is James Keir Hardie (1856 - 1915)who was born a few miles outside of Motherwell and is one of the founders of the modern Labour Party. The Right Honourable Dr. John Reid , who has been the Member of Parliament for Motherwell North (now renamed hamilton North and Bellshill)since 1987, is from one of the surrounding villages of Motherwell. The Motherwell and Wishaw constituency is represented in Parliament by Frank Roy MP who was controversially revealed to have been a member of what is perceived as a sectarian organisation called the Ancient Order of Hibernians. He has declared that he no longer associates with such organisations. Nearby Towns: Motherwell District | Motherwell District 1975-96 | | From 1975 Motherwell lent its name to a local government district in the Strathclyde Region of Scotland. In 1996 administrative functions were taken over the North Lanarkshire unitary council. (See: Subdivisions of Scotland) External link
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