A RUNDOWN row of shops in Larkfield will finally be pulled down after the last remaining tenants moved out.

Cumberland Walk is now empty and awaiting bulldozers after AC Still Pharmacy, who have been there for 40 years, were told to leave by today.

Neighbouring Chinese takeaway Greenhill meanwhile held negotiations with the council to terminate a lease which was due to run until 2019.

The block of shops and derelict flats above have long been considered an eyesore but attempts to find a buyer for redevelopment have repeatedly been frustrated.

Lyndsey Cowell, of AC Still, said: “We have been working on three monthly leases for a while now.

“Every three months it gets renewed and we just assumed it would continue until further notice.

“I phoned the council after reading an update on Facebook.

“We knew we would be leaving, but we have been in Cumberland Walk for 40 years.

“We are a pharmacy and we serve the community.”

AC Still will be moving to another store in Angus Road on a temporary basis, with plans to invest in a new £500,000 permanent development at Burns Square.

They plan to rent out other units there for either a doctors or dental surgery and a shop.

A council spokesman said: “Cumberland Walk has, for many years, been a major concern for us and the local community.

“The building is in a poor state of repair and apart from two commercial tenants lain empty for some considerable time.

“A redevelopment strategy is in place and the two businesses have known for many months they will have to relocate — one has already secured alternate premises and vacated — and the timescale involved.

The spokesman added: “As a courtesy, they were told they could stay until the end of the month to give them more time.

“We have done all that we can to accommodate the needs of both businesses while we progress plans for the site which will ultimately benefit the local community and Inverclyde.”