MORE than 70 jobs will be created when a former flagship furniture store is turned into a hi-tech car supermarket.

The glass-fronted building which overlooks the busy M8 at Glasgow's Hillington is to undergo a multi-million pound makeover after being snapped up by 33-year-old automotive dealer Peter Vardy.

He plans to transform the old InStyle furniture store, which closed earlier this year when parent company R&M Deluxe Group went into voluntary administration with substantial debts.

The building near the Braehead shopping complex was put up for sale in September by the joint administrators.

And today the businessman revealed how he plans to transform it into his first supermarket which will sell more than 400 second-hand cars, ranging in price from £3000 to £30,000. Covering 70,000sq ft the heated showroom will open in the second half of next year and create more than 70 jobs.

It will also double as the businessman's new headquarters and staff at Queenslie will be transferred there when the supermarket is launched.

Mr Vardy currently employs 680 workers across 10 sites and is continuing a family tradition.

The automotive dealership was launched by his grandfather Reg before being inherited by his father Sir Peter.

Mr Vardy plans to incorporate cutting edge technology to improve customer experience.

He said: "With this fantastic new car super-market, Peter Vardy Ltd is seeking to change the face of the motor trade in Scotland.

"The car supermarket will create extra strength in depth for the group and will provide even more choice for our ever-growing family of customers.

"It is designed to be a destination dealership, where people can take their time in comfortable surroundings to find the car of their dreams."

Mr Vardy was speaking eight months after the Evening Times revealed how the owners of InStyle stores had gone into receivership.

A store in London Road, Tollcross, was immediately shut along with another in Aberdeen.

The flagship store was the next to be axed.

Workers lost their jobs and the joint administrators were forced to market the Hillington building in an attempt to reduce the outstanding debts.

The selling price has not been disclosed.

gordon.thomson@eveningtimes.co.uk