More than a dozen jobs will be created in a north-east town after planning was approved for a new convenience shop.
A vacant property at Fraserburgh’s Smiddyhill Road has been empty since 2012 when the Co-operative Food moved to a new location within the port.
Since then, plans have been tabled to use to the unit as a pharmacy, restaurant and takeaway – but all were met with opposition from nearby residents.
Now, the shop will re-open as a Spar and provide 15 people with new jobs.
The boost for Fraserburgh comes after Young’s Seafood Limited announced plans to make 600 members of staff in the town redundant.
Locals John Brown and Steve Stewart will run the new franchise.
The duo were previously area managers for the Co-op before being released, and they have used their redundancy package to fund the joint venture.
They said they were “excited” and “very keen” to become part of the community.
Mr Stewart said: “We are putting everything into this, it is a £150,000 investment.”
The pair added that the business would not be a “faceless company” and will have a focus on local goods.
In January this year, local councillors had their decision to block a takeaway on the site overturned by the Scottish Government, which found there was no valid case to be made against the building being converted.
The councillors were supported by 10 letters from local people who felt the business would create excess noise, foul smells and waste if it were to be approved.
At the time, a spokesman for the Co-op said it would not be drawn on the future of the site.
“We are still exploring options for the property,” he said.
A year prior, an application to split the property into a takeaway and pharmacy also fell through.
Six letters of objection were received from local people.
The new shop will open on Friday .