A clothing company has said it hopes to breathe new life” into one of Dundee city centre’s main shopping streets.
BE Schoolwear, one of the UK’s leading specialists in school uniforms, is opening up new premises on Reform Street after outgrowing its premises on Commercial Street.
The new store will open in May when renovations to the premises on the corner of Meadowside have been completed.
A spokesman for the company said: “The relocation of BE Schoolwear comes at a time when Reform Street is quiet, due to many businesses closing their doors and leaving more empty shop fronts than thriving ones in the main shopping district of Dundee.
“We hope to breathe some life into this once busy retail area, bringing business to other stores as well as our own.”
Last year, many traders in Reform Street expressed concern about growing number of vacant units in the street, which was once a thriving shopping destination.
High businesses rates and low footfall have seen a number of businesses go to the wall.
Retailers say they face bills of more than £30,000 a year before paying for other necessities such as rubbish collection – although the council said these rates are no higher than elsewhere in the city centre.
But there are hopes new developments will help kick start its regeneration.
Last year plans were put forward for an upmarket development of six flats above the Counting House, an 11-flat development in the former Alliance Trust building and a Korean restaurant.
Meanwhile, the city centre management team asked the owners of empty shops to clean up the front of their stores in order to make them more presentable and the street more attractive to potential new investors or businesses.
BE Schoolwear took over The Schoolwear Shop in Commercial Street in 2015.
It is one of three brands that form part of the Borders Embroideries business, a family-run firm that specialises in team wear and work wear.
As well as school uniforms, the company also sells outfits for groups such as the Brownies, Guides, Cubs and Scouts.
