AN INVERCLYDE businessman is hoping to bring one of West Blackhall Street’s largest units back into use and create new jobs for the area despite difficult trading conditions on the historic high street.
David Carroll, who owns Carroll’s Furniture on Jamaica Street and the Caledonian Bar in Port Glasgow, has taken on the former Peacocks clothing store unit.
With an area of over 700 square metres, the retail space is among the biggest on the high street and Mr Carroll says he intends to turn it into a large furniture shop.
His decision comes amid a trying period for shops in Greenock’s town centre, with some businesses reporting that footfall currently at a low ebb due to a number of factors.
These include a series of staggered road closures along West Blackhall Street, Westburn Street and Nicolson Street which are currently taking place to facilitate the redevelopment of the high street.
But Mr Carroll told the Telegraph he is optimistic about his trading prospects and hopes the improvement works will help bring more people to the area once they are completed.
He added: “I actually looked at this venue because I was thinking about opening a bar in Greenock.
“When I came down it had the perfect shop front and looked really good, but when I saw the size of it, I thought it was far too big for a pub and that it’d be the perfect place for a furniture shop.
“Half the mall is going to be taken away and hopefully it’ll push people over to this side of the town.
“You’ve got the new street surfaces too so hopefully it’ll be the start of something new for West Blackhall Street and that’s something we absolutely want to be part of as a local business.
“It’s not finished yet and we have to keep a positive mind.
“Just now people come into our shop when they’re looking to buy stuff, so we’ve got a really good ratio of people who come in and buy something.
“Down here we know not everyone will buy, but it’s a different kind of sales.
“I’ve not done the numbers on how many people it’ll employ but I will be looking to bring in new people.”
The new furniture shop is set to open before Christmas this year.
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