Christina McKelvie MSP and Angela Crawley MP have welcomed the sale of the former Bairds site in Hamilton following their joint report on the future of the town centre.

South Lanarkshire Council’s Executive Committee today unanimously approved the sale of the former Bairds site to Wetherspoons for £750,000 to be used as a brand-new pub on the corner of Quarry Street and Duke Street.

The closure of Bairds in 2014 left a vacant lot which has had a negative impact on Hamilton town centre and during the public consultation over the centre 83 per cent of those surveyed considered it their number one priority to find a use for the unit.

It is envisaged that the redevelopment will both improve the image of the town centre and benefit the wider area through the extra footfall and employment opportunities it is expected to generate.

Christina McKelvie, MSP for Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse, welcomed the decision: “It is great news that we are seeing real steps towards bringing the old Bairds site back into use.

“This was one of the major concerns addressed the report carried out by Angela and myself into condition of Hamilton Town Centre.

”The council should be commended for their work in organising this deal and taking us further along the road to regenerating our high street.”

Angela Crawley, MP for Lanark and Hamilton East, said: “I am delighted by the positive progress made by the council in allowing the Bairds site to be redeveloped.

“The building is one of the most noticeable parts of our town people see as they drive through, and I believe the renewed site will show people Hamilton is once again open for business.

“I look forward to the next steps in Hamilton’s regeneration and I hope it is a positive sign for the future of our town.”