Major shake-up for Monifieth’s House of Angus

A MAJOR shake-up is on the cards at a retail centre on the border of Dundee and Angus.

Units in House of Angus, near Monifieth, will close their doors on January 24.

It is understood Lakeland is set to move in next to Dobbies Garden Centre.

A Dobbies spokeswoman said there were “exciting plans” in the pipeline for the space and an official announcement would be made soon.

“Watch this space,” she added.

Lifestyle Leisure has already closed its operation, ceasing trade during the last week of 2017.

Staff at Cotton Traders, one of the few outlets still open, were unofficially told they may be forced to close around autumn and heard official word in the lead-up to Christmas.

Manager Jean Craig said: “We were unofficially told three or four months before by a member of staff at Dobbies next door and we were officially told i n mid-December.

“Some of the staff have been here since day one and expected to see retirement. I am realistic and know t hings don’t l ast forever, but the staff are really gutted.”

She added that Cotton Traders was l ooking for another site so it can continue trading in or around Dundee, but that search was at an “early stage”.

Jean’s daughter Amanda Craig, who has been working at the store for seven years, said: “We had been given an inkling that tipped everyone off. I am looking on the bright side and seeing it as a new start.

“It’s hard to take personally as the decision is made by another company higher up the chain. I know our company valued our work and will take us back if it gets another site.”

Early last year the retail centre was dealt a major blow as golf outlet Auchterlonies pulled out with “great regret”.

It was claimed at the time that the centre would remain strong, with Lifestyle manager Joanne Kelsey saying: “We are very much open for business and hopefully we can continue to thrive.”

The Edinburgh-based Dobbies garden centre chain developed the £1 million Angus Gateway centre.