Twilight customers could be vital for breathing new life into a major shopping centre.
The owners of Glenrothes’ Kingdom Shopping Centre have said they are committed to establishing a night-time economy in the town.
Simon Usher, asset manager at LaSalle Investment Management, said his company was exploring all avenues in an attempt to create a leisure quarter at the mall.
He was addressing members of the Glenrothes Area Futures Group at their annual general meeting, responding to long-term concerns over a lack of bars and restaurants in the heart of the town.
However, while confirming the centre owners were keen to change perceptions of the mall, he said they were working within severe constraints.
Chief of these is the dormant Co-op department store at Albany Gate, which is still leased by the company despite having been empty for a number of years.
With this contract set to run for around another 30 years, progress on regenerating part of the town centre may take considerable time and negotiation.
He said: “Our main objective is to get as many new retailers as possible and drive some sort of evening economy.
“The old owners, CIS/AXA, had a good 10 years of talking to the Co-op and they were unsuccessful. We have been talking on a regular basis and are getting there but very slowly.
“It is extremely difficult to get anyone there to make a decision.”
LaSalle bought the Kingdom Shopping Centre on behalf of Mars Pension Trustees in 2013.
Since then a total of 15 new retailers have taken on leases within the centre, although Mr Usher admitted many of the existing units were simply too large in the modern retail era.
He did, however, add that a newly-established chain store was about to move into the centre, one of 50 outlets in the UK.
Mr Usher admitted LaSalle had undertaken a “soft start” approach to its ownership but new signs were just the start of creating a “new persona” for the mall in an effort to keep it competitive.
He also said efforts were being made to diversify the Kingdom Centre and gym and leisure companies had been approached with a view to filling some of the larger units.
It is hoped these could complement the soon to be reopened Fraser Bowl at Albany Gate, possibly providing for any new leisure quarter in the town.
However, Mr Usher did admit attracting big-name retailers to Glenrothes would continue to be a major challenge.
Claiming many top-line chain stores no longer depended on a physical high street presence, he said the challenge facing many shopping hubs in the modern era was the need to diversify.
“They don’t need to be in a major high street location because of the internet and people will do their shopping there,” he said.
“I think the possibility of getting a River Island or such are slim to none but we can target retailers who want to be on the High Street.
He added: “I don’t want any more pound shops we have enough of those.
“I don’t see the Kingdom Centre as a pure retail destination any more it is for various uses.
“It’s about making sure people have a reason to go there.”