Focus DIY, Blantyre 2009. Administration in May 2011

Focus DIY store was located under the East Kilbride Expressway in the small retail park. Entered from the roundabout at the start of Whistleberry Road at its junction with Glasgow Road, they had a good range of stock but were smaller than other DIY outlets. They sold DIY goods, paint, wallpaper, furniture, pet sundries, gardening products etc. There were always a few members of staff to help with any enquiries. It had great parking facilities and there was a bus stop nearby if required.

It was easy for the disabled to access the store and really spacious, so okay for moving around. It was quiet in the evenings, but busier at the weekends. It was kept clean and tidy and it was a pleasant experience to shop there.

Pictured here by myself in 2009, I was quite gutted when the store closed. It meant suddenly shopping at the more expensive B&Q and going up to East Kilbride. Today, B&M bargains occupy the premises, which sat vacant for some time after Focus went into administration in May 2011.

The only question remaining for me in this article, is when did Focus DIY come to Blantyre? I’d love to hear from anybody who worked there about their experiences there too.

On social media:

Moyra Lindsay The last time I chatted to your mum was in here. Buying plants!!!

Joe Fletcher Worked there for a few years at the weekend while still at school, met my wife while working there………. Was sad to see that the place closed, was a great place to work.

Steven Daley I worked there from 1999 to 2005, met my wife there as well. Met a lot of good people there. Being in a small town It had a good regular customer base, and being from Blantyre meant I knew most of the people who came in, made things very easy

Elaine Campbell McQuade Helped me out a few times Steven. Xx

Liane Prentice I worked there when it first opened. We had a great time setting store up for opening x

Michelle Evans I bought a coffee table from there in 1996.

Suzanne Mooty I worked there from 1998 to 2006 – loved the people I worked with, we always had fun from what I can remember X

The Blantyre Project really was Focus there as far back as 1996? I must be getting old!

Michelle Evans I moved into the house in 1995, and I’m sure it was sometime in 1996 that I bought the coffee table, certainly within a year of moving in.

Stuart McGill I worked there from 1999 to June 2011 when the doors shut for good. Met a lot of good people there. For the store being in an odd location you got to know about the customer’s and regulars that used the store. Have some great memories of the place and colleagues that went through the years I was there

Liane Prentice It opened 1994

Jude Wolf It’s near good road routes,both for cars and
Buses.

Sharn Walsh It opened before 1994 it was here years before my dad passed away 1993

The Blantyre Project i cant recall, but wasnt it called something else back then?

Gary Doonin The site sits on the old McLeod Miller engineering site which got demolished at end of 93 ,Rj McLeod did the enabling works for the property company who owned it at start of 94 . Think the store would have opened 94 into 95

The Blantyre Project i cant remember that. I worked for RJ McLeod in 94 and 95, but in those years i was involved in relaying the Royal Mile in Edinburgh. Typical construction, send you to the other side of the country, when there’s a job on home patch.

The Blantyre Project you have a great memory Gary!

Stephen Allan I do not remember Focus opening but the engineering site must have been built after the Speedway closed down.

Bryan Deazeley Focus Blantyre, or Hamilton 44 as it was called by the company opened in summer 1994. The store manager was John Roberts, and the management team were Colin Foskett, Willie Broon and Karen Harvie. I worked in the store from its opening until August 1999. I have many cracking memories of many cracking times with many cracking people!

Gary Doonin McLeod Miller site was there at least late 60s early 70s . Focus is NOT built on the speedway greyhound site ,that site was further West with the actual Expressway carriage ways right thru it.