SILVERBURN was today praised for throwing a jobs lifeline to almost 2000 residents in a cash-starved area of Glasgow six years after breathing new life into a brownfield site.
It came as Clyde 1 DJ Romeo was preparing to hand out local Oscars to traders who are being singled out for their exceptional customer service.
The shopping centre, which cost almost £200million to build, is now a major employer in Pollok and is due to create hundreds of more jobs as part of a major multi-million pound expansion.
Centre chiefs are celebrating Silverburn's sixth anniversary at a time when the South Side mall attracts 14 million shoppers every year, spending hundreds of millions of pounds in its stores.
The award-winning mall was built on a site which once had a secondary school, rundown community shopping centre, an ambulance depot and playing fields.
Today it employs 2500 who work in 130 stores. The vast majority of workers - 1,825 which represents almost three quarters of staff - live in the Pollok area.
Councillor Liz Cameron, spokeswoman on jobs and the economy at Glasgow City Council, said: "I am delighted that Silverburn is celebrating its sixth anniversary.
"Huge numbers of Glaswegians are employed in the shops and restaurants and it should be remembered that Silverburn plays a key role in the city's economy.
"Alongside the city centre - the biggest shopping destination in the UK outside of London's West End - Silverburn and our other retail hotspots such as Byres Road.
"The Fort and Shawlands Cross show what a fantastic retail centre Glasgow is."
More Pollok locals are expected to be offered jobs when nine new restaurants and a cinema open in two years as part of a £20m extension which will create another 500 posts.
Silverburn's general manager, David Pierotti, said: "Having been part of the team here at Silverburn since the beginning, it's been wonderful to see the centre flourish and grow. The retailer awards are always such a fantastic night and we love to recognise the hard work and service provided by the stores here in Silverburn.
"It's also a great way to celebrate our sixth birthday."
gordon.thomson@ eveningtimes.co.uk
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