A RUNDOWN shopping centre at the heart of a Glasgow community is being given a new lease of life.

As the Evening Times reported in January, residents had complained to councillors and voiced concerns over the number of bookmakers and money lending shops. in the shopping area in Knightswood, near Anniesland Road.

There were also worries that the existing Co-operative would close down when its lease ran out and would leave a large empty unit.

However, this week ­supermarket giant Tesco agreed to invest in the ­centre and plans to open a Metro store at the Co-op site early next year.

The firm is also giving all Co-op staff the chance to transfer to Tesco.

The Co-op's lease is ­expected to run out later this year, with plans to open the Metro in early 2014.

Gloria Coats, corporate affairs manager for Tesco, said: "We're delighted to be investing in Knightswood with a new Tesco Metro store at the Knightswood Shopping Centre.

"Timescales are still to be confirmed, but all existing Co-operative staff will be given the opportunity to transfer over to Tesco should they wish to become Tesco colleagues.

"In addition to welcoming Co-operative colleagues to the Tesco team, we also plan to recruit additional colleagues."

The firm said information on recruitment would be available in the next few months.

Ms Coats added: "We will be investing in the store with some much-needed renovations and we will have a better idea of store re-opening dates once the landlord has handed the unit over to us."

Local SNP councillor Graeme Hendry said he hoped the new addition to the centre would be a "catalyst".

He said: "Knightswood Shopping Centre is valued by the local community and this investment will hopefully be a catalyst to see the return of more of the kind of shops local residents want to see."

The centre, which is owned by London-based firm London and Cambridge Properties Ltd, has the retail store M&Co and a Lloyds pharmacy as well as a branch of the Money Shop.

Garscadden/Scotstounhill councillor Liz Cameron said: "I think the investment will help attract other shoppers to the area."

rachel.loxton@eveningtimes.co.uk