ALTHOUGH retail outlets across the country are facing unprecedented challenges, it is hoped we will see a return to normal trading soon. Greenock's Oak Mall shopping centre has felt the pinch along with everyone else, with only essential services being allowed to continue trading.

This year too, the Costa coffee outlet will have been in the Mall for ten years, and it is here we start our lookback at some pictures taken at the shopping centre in past years. A crack team of baristas in Oak Mall's Costa Coffee shop scooped a brace of awards including 'excellent customer focus' and 'friendliest team'. Assistant manager Kirsty Burrows also picked up the coveted franchise award of 'Barista of the Year'.

IN a bid to get back to his roots, famous chef Gordon Ramsay visited the Oak Mall in 2006 to trace where his grandfather worked as a butcher on what was then West Blackhall Street. I took this picture as he chatted with shoppers in the centre.

THE little girl on the left of this shot could have been forgiven for thinking she was dreaming when dancers of hit show 'It's Kylie' lined up for my camera back in 2007. The dance group paraded in the Oak Mall to promote the production, staged in the Arts Guild in the nights that followed.

I DROPPED over to the Oak Mall to see colleague Sheenagh Cameron as she worked in a Greenock Telegraph pop-up studio with kids taking part in our Teletots picture sessions. Young Mark Steele posed up for this shot during his portrait session.

I CAUGHT this picture as local schoolgirls watched X-Factor celebrity Melanie Masson perform onstage in the Oak Mall in 2013. The singer put on quite a show, bringing the shopping centre to a standstill as crowds clamoured to enjoy her winning tunes.