BUS firm owners Sandy and James Easdale have paid just over £1m to buy an empty large commercial unit in Greenock.

The brothers, who own McGill's, have snapped up the former Misco premises on the waterfront.

It was lying empty after the computing company collapsed into administration last October.

The purchase by the Easdale family takes their recent property investments to more than £5m, which includes last month’s acquisition of Cappielow Trade Park for £3.1m.

The brothers have also recently snapped up land along the A8 corridor in Cartsburn at Greenock and bought over two Gourock pubs.

The ex-Misco warehouse, adjacent to Royal Bank of Scotland’s mortgage centre, is to be marketed for lease within the next few months.

Sandy Easdale said: “The unit was an important employment location in Inverclyde and it is pleasing to conclude the purchase that will eventually lead to the property being brought back into use.

“The building is in excellent condition and is estimated to have a rebuild value of £7 million, which obviously made it an attractive opportunity at the purchase price.

"The facility enjoys an excellent location on the banks of the river, with the M8 close at hand, in an area where the demand for land is high."

The new owners say they hope to find new tenants for the building as soon as possible - and have hinted that they will be making more acquisitions in the near future.

Mr Easdale added: "The plan is for our agents, Breck Sutherland, to identify potential leaseholders in the coming weeks and months and the decision will then be taken to rent to one party or possibly subdivide the unit.

“As we intimated when we purchased Cappielow Trade Park last month, we are intending to make substantial investment in commercial property over the coming months and years and these two purchases are likely to be the first of many deals to come.”