Jobs bonanza as firms set up shop
Out of town boost from B& M and Hortons
Shoppers are set for a double boost as two giants of the game move into Ayr.
Bargain chain B& M and Canadian coffee kings, Tim Hor tons, are heading for Heathfield.
More than 35 jobs will be created when B& M move into the retail park shortly before Christmas.
And the coffee outlet will set up shop across the road in a unit which is currently occupied by sandwich company Subway.
The firm is expected to switch to Heathfield’s last remaining unit as part of a change in the retail landscape.
Construction is underway to create a whopping 21,500sq ft unit for B& M.
Founded in Lancashire in 1978, it has become a European superpower employing almost 23,000 staff.
Its shops stock a variety of cut- priced goods from DIY supplies to food and soft drinks.
The Heathfield move, to the unit between M& S Food and Tapi Carpets, means the full house for park bosses.
The park’s double boost marks the end of a long running battle for Edinburgh- based Ediston Properties to transform the tired retail offering.
Council planners’ high profile refusal of Toys R Us – over fears of damage to trade in Ayr High Street – made headlines in 2014.
But a multi- million overhaul of the park’s facade, alongside big name signings like M& S and DFS, has drawn back customers.
A B& M spokeswoman confirmed the company had snapped up an “exciting new store” at Heathfield.
She said: “The building is currently being extended and we will be delighted to announce an opening date once the extension works have progressed.
“This new store in Ayr will boost jobs in the town, with more than 35 new positions created.