Well-known retailers on a key waterfront site would be ‘a major benefit’ to Helensburgh town centre, say consultants employed by Argyll and Bute Council.
Last month it was revealed that number of bidders interested in the vacant 1.38-acre site in front of the town’s new leisure centre has been narrowed down to five.
The proposals are said to come from ‘a mix of international, national and local bidders’ and range from community infrastructure, hotel, restaurant and retail.
The only bidder to have been made public is Helensburgh Community Council.
A preferred bidder is due to be announced next month – but now a report by consultants Colliers has been published.
It lists a wide range of well-known retailers, though without any indication that they might have expressed an interest in the town.
“The waterfront site is the most obvious town centre opportunity for new retail development in Helensburgh,” the report states.
“The currently vacant site could provide an opportunity for a mixed convenience and comparison development.
“Modern retailers prefer to locate in a retail scheme with an anchor tenant, in retail units which meet their trading and servicing requirements.
“A successful scheme will provide a mixture of retail unit sizes which provide the opportunity for mezzanine provision, with good visibility, access and car parking.”
The consultants state that they have not had any talks with retailers, but they list the following names, saying they ‘may consider Helensburgh as a future trading location’:
- Home Bargains
- B&M
- The Original Factory Shop
- Aldi
- Lidl
- Farmfoods
- Poundstretcher
- M&S Simply Food
- Food Warehouse
- Sainsburys
- Asda
- Costa
- Starbucks
The report adds: “It is considered that the provision of new modern retail floorspace at the Helensburgh waterfront site will assist in ensuring the town become as self-sufficient as possible, especially in relation to retailing provision, reclaiming leaked expenditure and complementing the other retail offer and supporting the various services provided within the town centre.
“Additional retailers of the type identified in the market assessment will add a further dimension to the shaping and improving Helensburgh town centre.
“The potential to reduce the need to travel outside the Helensburgh area for food shopping will be a major benefit for the town centre as a whole due to the potential spin-off effects of increased footfall both in terms of volume of visitors and length of time they will stay in the town centre.”
The Colliers report is here: Helensburgh Town Centre Retail Study Update Jan24 – FINAL
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