THE former BHS site is under offer to be taken on by a “leading national company” as other firms are struggling in Clydebank’s shopping centre.

The site’s owners have confirmed that both the massive space, which closed in 2016, and the unit next to the newly opened Nando’s restaurant are under offer.

The news came as Poundworld went into administration across the UK and Scottish firm Games Centre confirmed it had gone into liquidation.

In the past two years, the shopping centre has lost heavyweights BHS, Dunnes and Ryman.

Nearby, Lidl has confirmed it will leave its current Clydebank location and is looking for a larger space, while Furniture Mountain closed at Christmas.

In the past year, Nando’s, Matzaluna and Ollybear designer kids clothing shop have opened at the shopping centre complex and the former Play Drome site is still earmarked for retail development.

The Post last week counted 12 empty units in the main and otherwise very busy centre. The owners dispute the number.

Rent on the former BHS space is £250,000 a year, according to promotional material from estate agents Savilles, while the rates payable there are £93,972. The former JJB lot has a £35,000 rent a year, plus rates payable of £57,681.

Ross Campbell, senior asset manager with Edinburgh House, who own Clyde Shopping Centre, told the Post the BHS unit was under offer, as was the one next to Nando’s which had been intended to be a Toni Macaroni.

He would not comment on the record about repeated concerns from readers that rents are too high.

Mr Campbell said: “There’s a lot of negative press but retail does always evolve and we are evolving with it.

“We are looking at alternative uses – more leisure, more catering. We are very proactive targeting UK national retailers.

“We are confident. We have excellent footfall and a very loyal catchment and are working hard to deliver local, regional and national businesses.

“We are very positive. It’s a tough retail climate.”

Dunnes owns its own space and is being marketed separately.

Politicians said they were concerned about the latest closures but insisted they were all working together to boost Clydebank.

Councillor Danny Lennie said: “The biggest problem is clearly the rates charges businesses have to endure in the shopping centre, these charges need looked at if Clyde Shopping centre is to have any hope of surviving.

“As a council we must make our town more attractive to investors, maybe we could have a Clydebank business day where we invite businesses to a conference and discuss their needs and our expectations as well as selling our great town, we have a fantastic town with fantastic people in it, we need to sell it more than we do.

“I am saddened yet more good hard working people will be losing their jobs.”

Councillor Marie McNair said there needed to be more positive talk of the town.

She said: “I want to see a refreshed plan to bring the necessary investment to Clydebank. It is a great place to live and work with a real sense of community.

“I am a proud Bankie and believe it is right we talk up our area and opportunities for regeneration.

“We must do this with a planning policy approach that doesn’t dilute investment in our shopping centre.”

Gil Paterson, Clydebank’s MSP, said the decline of town centres is a national trend.

He added: “It will take a substantial cultural shift to reverse the decline in shopping in town centres the world over.

“In my own business, which my son now runs, we have had to adapt to the fast-changing climate brought about by rapid progress in new technology.”

Concerns about the effect on the shopping centre were central to councillors voting against Renfrewshire Council’s plan for a bridge to Clydebank earlier this year.

Meanwhile, new developments for infrastructure and homes have increased in the town, with the new Clydebank Health Centre and care home plans approved, work underway at Queens Quay for a heating plant, as well as housing proposals at the former St Andrew’s High and Braidfield High sites.

Queens Quay will bring hundreds of new homes just down from the shopping centre, but the entire site is expected to take at least a decade to complete.