MAJOR plans to rejuvenate Greenock’s beleaguered town centre have been revealed.

Inverclyde Council has announced a £2m investment to kickstart an ambitious regeneration programme.

Bosses hope to attract investors by creating space for new restaurants, installing free wifi and creating a thoroughfare from the Oak Mall to Cathcart Street, as well as boosting the night-time economy.

Greenock has suffered a number of big blows in recent years including the loss of Marks and Spencer, which is due to close next month.

The town’s West Blackhall Street has also been badly hit by a catalogue of shop closures as long established names have closed down.

Council leader Stephen McCabe said: “Greenock is our biggest town centre and we recognise that there is a need for a major investment.

“It is not the place it used to be.

“We want to reinvent Greenock town centre, which is why we are making a significant two million pounds investment.

“When we were on the doorsteps in the run up to the last election people in Greenock were concerned about the state of the town centre.

“It will be one of our biggest priorities.

“We want to reinvigorate Greenock town centre.

“We want all our town centres to be successful.”

The Greenock Regeneration Forum has identified the need to liven the town centre up at night, through restaurants, more housing and office space.

Councillor McCabe said: “When you go in at night it is dead.

“We are looking at ways of changing that.

“We will look at a restaurant quarter.

“As we have seen in Gourock, if we put in the physical investment as a council then the private investment will come - business are now looking to come into Gourock.
“Then people will come and spend their money.”