THE Savoy Centre in Glasgow city centre will undergo a major refurbishment with work expected to start later this month.

The move by the owners of the shopping mall, which was established in the 1970s, will allow for the creation of 18 new affordable retail units.

Some tenants on the ground floor of the centre were given a month’s notice to move out of their units around two weeks ago to allow for the refurbishment works to begin. Centre bosses have been working with those tennants to relocate them to new spaces on the first floor.

Seymore Holdings, who own The Savoy Centre, say they want to create an exciting new retail concept, event and exhibition space.

The firm have taken inspiration from projects including Market Town Corner in Loughborough and Impact Hub in Stockholm to create an initiative known as COLAB (Community, Culture Cuisine).

They say the initiative aims to put the community back in heart of the city centre while also creating an environment where businesses can grow and support one another.

The move by the owners comes after we reported that defiant traders were fearing for the future of their businesses in The Savoy Centre. A drop in footfall on the iconic city street began in March when a fire destroyed Victoria’s Nightclub. A second fire, which destroyed the Glasgow School of Art Mackintosh building, stopped more businesses from trading and displaced residents of Garnethill. Two cordons and ongoing regeneration works previously put most of the street out of commission with the public having to use back lanes or side streets to get access to the opened parts. The Savoy Centre owners now say they have pledged their support to retailers starting with a phased investment in the mall.

Natalia Ray Codona from COLAB, said: “It has been a very challenging year so far for Glasgow’s Sauchiehall Street and the centre and we want to help support existing retailers while also creating a new and affordable platform for independent retailers and Scottish creatives.

“As well as working with existing tenants we are keen to reach out to new enterprises, independents and creative start-ups. The affordable new retail units are perfect for collaborations whether that’s in the form of pop ups, a permanent space or immersive exhibition.

“At the heart of the project our ambition is to bring Glasgow’s community and businesses together and offer new experiences in the form of art, culture, retail and performance that they may not have been exposed to before. We want COLAB to benefit as many people as possible from all areas of the community.”

Work is expected to be completed by Christmas and it will be conducted in phases to minimise disruption to retailers.

The COLAB project team will also create a versatile space in the hope of housing exhibitions from Glasgow School of Art students.

New enterprises will have the opportunity to secure affordable space while all tenants will have access to a range of LAB sessions and seminars directed at supporting areas of their business from hospitality training to visual merchandising and social media.

COLAB will also provide an incubator space for those taking their first steps towards building their brand in the form of accessible space on the high street to directly connect with their customers.

Joan Duff, who has ran Baby Spot in The Savoy Centre for 36 years, welcomed the plans.

She said: “The only fear I have is that they might put blockages up which will prevent customers from accessing us. But we have been promised that won’t happen.”

She added: “I think the it can only benefit us. It will be good to have all the traders on the one level while the work is underway. People will realise that the marketplace is still here and it will give the centre a better vibe.”

Another trader, who did not want to be named, expressed his concern over the plans.

He said: “The tenants have been on ground floor for ages and have been through very hard times but businesses stayed even though they struggled . Now the very same businesses, after recovering are being asked to move against their will .”

Glasgow Chamber of Commerce chief executive, Stuart Patrick, described the move as a positive one for retailers.

He said: “As we all know, this has been a disastrous year for Sauchiehall Street, and the most famous place name associated with Glasgow has taken a terrible pummelling.

“With that in mind, it’s uplifting to be able to welcome good news for the street – and this imaginative plan for the refurbishment of the Savoy Centre is certainly that.

“We welcome not only the opportunities and space the new Savoy will provide for independent and start-up businesses, but also the inclusion of the word “community” at a time when the people who work and live on Sauchiehall Street need encouragement and a new beginning.”

Councillor Susan Aitken added: “These proposals are a significant and early step in the direction we want to see the street moving in after such a traumatic six months.

“We want to see small, independent traders’ flourish in an environment that can nurture this. And we want to see culture and the arts play a significant role in Sauchiehall Street’s rebirth.

“We welcome the COLAB plans and are delighted to see such a vote of confidence in the street.”

PREVIOUS PLANS

PLANS to transform The Savoy Centre were previously reported by the Evening Times in 2009.

An £80 million transformation was unveiled for the two-storey mall to become a 30-storey landmark with office space and 221 bedroom hotel.

Under those plans, the top floor was to feature the highest restaurants in the city offering breathtaking views.

As part of that scheme, the walkway taking pedestrians from the shopping centre over Renfrew Street to the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama was to be demolished. But the project never came to fruitation.