THE owners of the Hospital Hill shop unit vacated by Greggs hope to bring in a new tenant as soon as possible. 

Schiehallion Ltd want Fife Council to show some flexibility as they attempt to fill the empty space in Dunfermline with a new business. 

The Galashiels-based company said a similar approach helped bring a “major operator” – Canadian coffee shop chain Tim Hortons – into the shop next door. 

There’s no new tenant as yet and a statement on Schiehallion’s behalf explained: “The proposal seeks to open up the range of suitable uses for the unit in order to provide the best opportunity for a new end user to be found. 

“This will reduce greatly the amount of time that the unit will remain vacant and ensure it does not become a detriment to the vitality and viability of the local centre.

“A similar application was granted for Unit 1 and the long-term vacant unit was taken up by Tim Hortons and represented a major operator investing into Dunfermline. 

“The same principle and aim is sought with regard to this application.”

Unit 2 is 106 square metres in size and the planning application submitted seeks a change of use from a shop to ensure it can be operated by financial, professional and ‘other’ services, a restaurant or hot food takeaway. 

Agents for the firm said: “As the unit is now vacant, the applicant seeks to be proactive in bringing the unit back into use within the shortest timeframe possible. 

“This would be ultimately achieved should the unit be able to be used for a wider but compatible range of uses.”

And they added: “It is expected that the unit being brought back into use will create approximately five local jobs and thus provide a much welcomed boost to the local economy. 

"Further employment is expected as part of the unit fit-out.”

Schiehallion own five commercial units on the Hospital Hill site, which was built in 2005. 
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