The first week in November 1980, wasn’t a good week for the traders on the Stonefield Park side of Glasgow Road. They were told they would have to be out their premies by February 1981 at the latest for the next part of demolition of Glasgow Road tenements.
Many traders were shocked to learn of the imminent deadline when they had believed it would be June 1981 and that premises would be found within the new shopping complex at Clydeview Shopping Centre.
Shopkeepers were reluctant to go “on record” until a meeting of the Blantyre Traders Association was called. The shops upon which this particular “quit order” was served stretched from John Street to Greenside Street.
One of the major concerns the traders had was the approach of Christmas. Stocking up on goods meant that if it wasn’t sold at Christmas, it could be sold during the year. However, this new deadline removed this meaning traders would need to be extremely frugal with their orders, edging on the caution side.
This part of Glasgow Road was still one of the busiest parts of the old street, which by then had seen many tenements demolished. This part of the planned work, was integral in forming a new town centre, which was to be focused around the forthcoming ASDA.
The tenements had to come down. Plans to extend the park, build a roundabout and construct Blantyre Leisure Centre were already moving forward for that immediate vicinity.
Pictured a year earlier is ‘Harts Laun’ the next block along to the west photographed in 1979 by James McGuire.
Featuring Blantyre Project Social Media with permission. Strictly not for use by others on or offline, our visitors said:
Arlene Campbell You had to throw in a blanket of snow #nostalgic
John Dunsmore Cosy corner , Jimmy Cleary , Peter Valerie , Dina mind next shop last one at end central bar ( John Fallon
Brian Reynolds Blantyre was destroyed
Liz Boxall This is actually Glasgow road as I remember it
John Dunsmore Liz Boxall Yip so sad the other shop I think was. T. V. Repairs
Catriona Paterson Asda was the end of Blantyre as we knew it, lots of happy memories of the old shops.
Jeanette Allardyce Ward How I remember it 😢. My granny cleaned the cosy corner and I remember going with her, playing with their dog while she worked away
Jackie MacDonald Worse thing that ever happened. Ripped the soul out of Blantyre
Kev Samson Is that station road headin down to the village?
Blantyre Project Glasgow Road. You would now be looking at the sports centre in that photo.
Andy Callaghan That takes me back. Downed a few in The Cosy Corner.
Mary Bell When did Dixon’s rows get knocked down I was born there left when I was 8
Sadie Dolan Sad time for Blantyre, loved the old Street!!!
Tracey Muir I remember my mum being so excited that ASDA was coming.
Linda Halpin Remember the old doctors surgery Cassidy and Connaghan they were sisters x
Robert McLeod-Wolohan i remember the cosy corner, 1 of the many pubs in blabtyre i used to drink in lol same with the castle vaults, priory bar which was my regular,
Jim McSorley If you look closely above you will see one tenement still occupied ( two Non bricked windows) this was Peter and his wife. Peters famous ices next to jimmy clearey the barber. Great days indeed.
Matthew Neil Jimmy clerly was further along you are lo6at green side street
John Reynolds My Brothers and myself were all born through the close beside the TV shop in yellow…back of Guys shop all bricked-up in photo…Happy memories of Mum and Dad !!
Anne Brennan These buildings should have been left in place and modernised. Took the soul out of Blantyre. Look at Bothwell and Uddingston with lots of thriving small businesses and flats above. That could have been us…and look what we got