Retail revival planned after town suffers a devastating double shop blow

Watson McAteer at Dorothy Perkins, Hawick. (PHOTO: BILL McBURNIE)

News that Dorothy Perkins and Burtons, located side by side on the high street, are to permanently close has been met with dismay by retailers and elected town representatives.

Removal of the outlets from the town’s retail offer will leave a big gaping hole to fill.

It’s set to be huge task but town councillors Watson McAteer and Stuart Marshall have set about meeting the challenge.

They are supporting a move to potentially transform the two premises into an indoor shopping arcade to contain various units under one roof, a move which has been suggested by several members of the public.

And the councillors have also called for the resurrection of the Hawick Action Plan, to enable the town’s elected members to have a real input into finding realistic retail solutions.

Mr Marshall described the latest closures as a “hammer blow” and expressed sympathy for the staff facing redundancy.

He said: “These two flagship stores were so well supported by our community and that makes the pain even greater. It is now time to resurrect the Hawick Action Plan which would in turn allow the town’s elected members and others to participate in a solution to what will inevitably be a vast area of retail space to fill.”

Mr McAteer acknowledged the closures were a “disaster for the town”, but he too was looking to potential solutions.

He said: “There is a suggestion that these shops could be turned into an arcade facility offering a multi-choice and diverse retail proposition and I would certainly welcome that being explored.”

The town provost will seek discussions between the South of Scotland Enterprise agency, the council and interested stakeholders.

The shop closures have been confirmed despite a buy-out of Dorothy Perkins, Wallis and Burton for £25m by online fashion retailer Boohoo. But the deal to buy the three remaining fashion brands of Sir Philip Green’s Arcadia Group out of administration does not include any of its 214 UK stores, which are to close with the likely loss of 2,450 jobs.