This is the view of Drumchapel Community Council as they look to revitalise the run-down commercial space.

Business has suffered in Drumchapel as the population has decreased over the years.

The shopping centre is owned by Co-operative Estates and no firms seem interested in buying it.

Alison Horner, secretary of Drumchapel Community Council, has not given up on this retail space and is keen to bring life back into the area.

She told the Post: “Over the years when there was more people in Drumchapel, the shopping centre was more popular.

“But the factories are no longer sitting there, houses have been knocked down, there’s not nearly as many people in the area now.” Members of the community say Drumchapel Shopping Centre is looking derelict, old and is in need of modernisation. They insist it is quickly becoming an eyesore which will detract people from visiting.

Alison views this retail space as Drumchapel’s own town centre and is adamant it should not be in such an unfit state.

The area is home to facilities such as the health centre, popular businesses including John Baillie Carpets and Iceland, and also has key transport links.

Owned by Co-operative Estates, the centre has 24 units, ranging from approximately 587 square ft up to 6,700 square ft. Over the years it has become derelict and Drumchapel Community Council want to give it a make-over.

Alison Horner said: “It looks horrendous. We’ve managed to get the police to do extra beats there, there are extra bins there, too. It’s been a long, overdrawn process. Currently, Strathclyde Partnership for Transport is doing up the front for the buses, so some things are getting done.

“Co-op are looking to sell it but they haven’t found a buyer yet.” She added: “The local community want something to be there. They want activity in their area. They don’t want to see their shopping centre rundown, filled with closed-down shops.

“People are scattered now in Drumchapel, there is a lot of empty space from houses and buildings that have been knocked down. This has split the people up.

“Those people who have been here since day one have seen the change, and consider the shopping centre to be our town centre. Something has to be done to get people back in it.” Councillor Malcolm Balfour told the Post: “The state of Drumchapel Shopping Centre has been talked about since long before I was a councillor. The shopping centre used to be one of the busiest places in Glasgow for a number of years. One of my first jobs when I left school was working a the Co-operative. It was a vibrant centre, we had a Frasers, Armets, three different butchers and various different shops.

“Now, there’s almost more in it that isn’t retail than what is retail.” A spokesman for Co-operative Estates said: “We want to offer the best possible range of retail services to the local community and have introduced several new retailers to the centre including B&M Bargains, Iceland and John Baillie Carpets.

“Last year we introduced a scheme which enabled a dedicated police presence at the centre and we continue to work with the local police to implement their recommendations to curb anti-social behaviour.

“There is currently just one vacant unit at the centre and we are in active negotiations with a discount food retailer to develop a new 22,000 sq ft unit fronting Kinfauns Drive which conforms fully with planning policy and will provide a positive boost to the retail offer at the shopping centre.”