Shop aims to clean up thanks to council grant.

A Paisley vacuum repair shop is hoping to hoover up some new trade after it was revamped through help from a council heritage scheme.

Renfrewshire Council’s £3.5m Townscape Heritage Initiative/Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme includes a shopfront grant scheme for local retail properties.

It meets up to 90% of the costs of restoring and reinstating traditional shopfronts – and one of the latest to benefit is the Dyson shop at 35 Causeyside Street.

Councillor Terry Kelly, Convener of Renfrewshire Council’s Planning and Property Policy Board, visited the shop to see the work for himself.

Paisley Dyson Centre

The grant paid for the reinstatement of traditional features on the outside of the shop.

The THI/CARS scheme aims to preserve and improve the buildings and surroundings of the Causeyside area of Paisley town centre.

Councillor Kelly said: “The THI/CARS scheme aims to restore some of the town’s stunning architectural heritage to its former glory.

“That has included a number of big projects within the town centre – but a key part of the programme is that there is money available to help individual shopowners too.

“I would encourage any shopowners within the Causeyside area who would like to know more about the scheme to get in touch with our officers.”

Christina Mains, the landlord of the building, said: “The grant has made a real difference. My previous tenant was a barber, who moved along the street to a different unit so the unit was empty for a while.

“By then I had already started the process of getting the grant, and the prospect of getting a new shopfront certainly helped me clinch the deal with the new tenant.

“I would definitely recommend the scheme to other businesses in the area as it could make a real difference to the look of the street.”

The THI/CARS scheme is funded by Renfrewshire Council, the Heritage Lottery Fund and Historic Scotland.

So far, it has included £1m public realm works around Causeyside Street, and a £500k revamp of the category B-listed Paisley Arts Centre.

It has also taken in work to turn a vacant unit in Forbes Place into a block of flats, as well as a programme of community benefit schemes focussed on traditional building skills.

For more information, email PaisleyTHI.CARS@renfrewshire.gov.uk or call 0300 300 0144.

Author

Founder of Paisley.org.uk in 1998 and constantly strives to change peoples attitudes to the town, Brian is a self described Paisley Digital Champion who promotes Paisley via any means necessary. You can also follow me on X