At the end of May 1978, the enquiry set up to address final objections to the Glasgow Road redevelopment was avoided at the last minute.

In an 11th hour decision, the Co-operative decided not to object to the ASDA store plans being proposed for Blantyre, bringing sighs of relief to Hamilton District Council.

The Co-op had objected to ASDA having a monopoly in Blantyre and was also contesting having to close their premises in Blantyre, by forced compulsory purchase order. Councillor Murray Tremble commented, “This is good news and means the planned redevelopment of Blantyre’s Glasgow Road could schedule as planned in July 1978.”

However, the Co-op was NOT going quietly. It vowed to fight the decision, privately using their own funds and via the Land Act, although Councillors generally could see no merit in the Co-op doing that. Even at the end of May 1978, there were 3 objections on the ASDA site, from the Post Office, Taylor’s and Oreste’s Restaurant, although it was anticipated that discussions were at that time advanced and it was looking likely the objections there would be dropped.

It is thought that the Co-operative’s withdrawal was due to a reaction by the people of Blantyre who saw the Co-op holding up the whole process, some avoiding Co-op stores.

Pictured in 1930 is the Glasgow Road Co-operative Central Premises.

Featuring Blantyre Project Social Media with permission. Strictly not for use by others on or offline, our visitors said,

John Cornfield Look at this beautiful building! And compare it to the state of the Asda complex renovating both sides of Glasgow road was surely the best option I know their was the promise of jobs but thirty pieces of silver crosses my mind

The Blantyre Project full history in unprecedented detail about this building coming here next month.

Anne Brennan Bang on, John…Asda may be convenient but it ripped the character out of Blantyre. Those buildings would have been fantastic if renovated. Instead we have a shed surrounded by empty run-down units that no small retailer can afford to rent. If only the clock could go back!

Marian Maguire Just look at Blantyre now, no nice Main Street to wander along. Only one large monopoly selling everything and no parking for cars at the front for the other shops.

Drew Fisher The part of the building shown on the corner is very grand. Being progressive seems to mean loosing beautiful surroundings. I seem to recall just further along on Glasgow Road is where the Coop opened the first ‘supermarket’ in Blantyre in the early 1960s.

Alan Robert Webb My grandmother Elizabeth Crawford worked there in 1919 when she got married and became Elizabeth Howieson.

Johnstone Purdie Jane The Coop was Blantyre….went there a lot with my gran…

Jim McSorley There is one co- op building still remaining on the Main Street with the carved bee hive trade mark on Glasgow road.

Helen Lawson Taylor Worst thing they ever did was to lose the co-operative buildings .