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Work has started on the regeneration project for Main Street, Barrhead which will include a major facelift for the shopping centre.
The centre’s exterior is to be repainted and new windows installed throughout. For this the council secured £36,000 from the Government’s town centre regeneration fund. A further £24,000 private investment will come from the owners of Barrhead Shopping Centre, Barrhead Shopping Centre LLP.
A new ‘straight-through’ pedestrian crossing will replace the existing staggered crossing right at the heart of the main shopping centre.
This will allow quicker and easier movement between the two sides of the street, and will result in this section of Main Street being less car dominated.
But to make sure that visitors will continue to have direct access to the range of shops and for the benefit of local businesses, some on-street car parking bays will be created to encourage passing trade.
As with Cross Arthurlie Street, new, high quality paving stones will be introduced to improve the appearance of Main Street. The total cost of this work is just over £300,000.
It is anticipated the redevelopment programme will take around 10 weeks to complete, and is expected to be finished by December.
This work compliments other Town Centre Regeneration Fund work including the £40,000 canopy and lighting upgrade and also the £300,000 public realm improvements in Main Street.
Good news for customers is that the shopping centre has removed parking charges.
Economic development convener, Councillor Tony Buchanan, said: “Thanks to our successful bid to the Scottish Government town centre regeneration fund, we have been able to make substantial improvements to Barrhead’s two main shopping areas.
“Cross Arthurlie is now complete after it’s £800,000 road and street improvements. Now it’s the turn of Main Street. At a time of real economic difficulty right across the country, investment in improving our shopping areas will be a real long term benefit to local businesses and residents.”
(GK)
