SHOP bosses have opened urgent talks with the Oak Mall following news that a huge part of the centre is to be demolished.

The future of stores such as Argos and M&Co remains unclear after it was revealed that the Oak Mall owners have asked for permission to knock down the part of the centre that goes beneath the A78 main road, right back along to the existing entrance at Clyde Square.

All displaced retailers are being offered replacement units in the remaining part of the much smaller shopping centre.

But bosses at Argos and M&Co won't say whether they will stay on or quit.

A spokeswoman for M&Co told the Tele: "M&Co are currently in talks with the landlord regarding the redevelopment of the Oak Mall shopping centre."

Argos also remained tight lipped about the situation..

Their spokeswoman added: "We’re in discussions with the landlords."

Following demolition, there would be a new Mall entrance at Hunter Place and apartments could be be built on part of the cleared land.

A spokesperson from the Oak Mall said: "The Oak Mall will have a more concentrated shopping experience - it's a good move.

"It will concentrate the shopping experience."

The spokesperson said she could not reveal the cost of the project and the timescales involved.

When asked if the reduced sized mall would be less sustainable, the spokesperson replied: "It's not that much smaller.

"To put this reduction in perspective it's from circa 320,000 square feet to 260,000 square feet."

As reported in yesterday's edition of the Tele, the Oak Mall owners have applied to Inverclyde Council for the demolition work after Transport Scotland served a statutory notice seeking access ahead of repairs to the A78 above the covered centre.

Other shops that are affected by the proposed demolition are Poundland, RS McColl and Timpsons, along with the large and longempty old JJB Sports unit.