A meeting has been held with Marks & Spencer to seek reassurances around the transfer of their Regent Centre store to a new location in Hamilton Retail Park.
Politicans Christina McKelvie, MSP for Hamilton, Larkhall & Stonehouse, Angela Crawley, MP for Lanark and Hamilton East and Councillor John Ross, leader of South Lanarkshire Council were all in attendance at the meeting with M&S bosses earlier this week.
The trio made clear their disappointment at the move due to the impact it would have on Hamilton’s town centre and sought assurances from the company that staff would be supported as part of the move.
In recent years, South Lanarkshire Council has worked in partnership with a number of organisations to regenerate Hamilton town centre and help increase footfall for local businesses.
This has included support for new social housing at the former Press Buildings and Vogue Cinema as well as taking over the Newcross Centre to become a hub for town centre services.
Christina McKelvie MSP for Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse said: "The news that M&S will be moving their store to the retail park is disappointing for ongoing efforts to rejuvenate our town centre.
"With new businesses and housing being brought to the town centre which will see increased footfall it does seems like a short-sighted decision.
"We are however happy that they have decided to remain operating within Hamilton and will continue to work with M&S and other organisations, like South Lanarkshire Council, to ensure that staff will be protected as part of any changes."
Lanark and Hamilton East MP Angela Crawley added: "While it is welcome that they will remain within Hamilton, this will still impede efforts to revitalise the town centre which have already been hampered by the coronavirus pandemic.
"Going forward, we will continue to work with Marks and Spencer to ensure the correct support is in place for staff affected by this decision."
The Regent store looks set to close next year with a brand new M&S Foodhall set top within the former Watt Brothers store at Hamilton Retail Park.
Staff affected by the closure have began a consultation period with the company.
Councillor John Ross, Leader of South Lanarkshire Council said: "M&S’s decision means we will need to redouble our efforts to ensure the positive work done so far to bring businesses, such as the Premier Inn and Beefeater Hotel, to the area and shoppers back to our high street continues to be built on.
"I made it clear to their management that the Council and other partnership organisations would work closely with them to ensure that staff are supported during any change."