By Judith Tonner
Copyright dailyrecord
An iconic former shop building in the heart of Lesmahagow is to be transformed into a new marketplace and affordable housing. Lesmahagow Development Trust is working to reopen the long-vacant former Billy’s – described as a beloved local institution – with an anchor tenant, flexible stalls for a range of local enterprises including start-ups, crafters and schools, plus affordable housing in the flats above. Refurbishment work is set to begin in the coming weeks and to be completed by the end of the year, allowing trading to begin early in 2026; and the project has been kickstarted thanks to a £200,000 grant from local windfarm operator OnPath Energy through South Lanarkshire’s renewable energy fund. Billy’s, on Abbeygreen, first opened in the 1960s and is fondly remembered as “a one-stop shop where generations stocked up on everything from hardware to hot rolls, providing goods ranging from pet food to roller skates as well as everyday essentials”, and including a popular cafe. It has been vacant for nearly six years – but now the area’s development trust is ready to begin the transformation of the 19th-century building into a “business incubator” designed to support local enterprise. Now the renovated building will house a butcher, three marketplace units which will rotate between short-term lets for “local makers, school enterprises and start-ups eager to test products without the risks of a traditional lease”, plus two affordable housing flats on the upper storey. Trust development officer Ruairidh MacGlone said: “Billy’s was more than a shop – it was where you got your roll and square sausage and red cola, dropped off your laundry for dry cleaning, picked up a quarter of tablet, and was the place to find items you couldn’t find anywhere else at an affordable price. “It’s impossible to overstate what Billy’s meant to Lesmahagow’s community. It’s taken a while to get to this stage but with both Lesmahagow development trust and the community in Lesmahagow, it’s never been forgotten. “Thanks to OnPath Energy’s funding, we’re not just restoring a building, we’re now able to take the initial steps to regenerate the main street, while maintaining one of our main objectives of providing facilities to the local community.” Ruairidh added: “This will be a space where budding entrepreneurs, school pupils, and community creatives can take their first steps into business. “We’re creating a unique ecosystem of support for enterprise, whether someone is growing fruit for jam to sell, crafting candles, or re-entering the workforce after some time away. Billy’s will be the shopfront to that ambition.” The refurbishment has been kickstarted by the £200,000 grant from OnPath Energy through South Lanarkshire’s renewable energy fund, with the Trust meeting the additional costs of the full internal and external renovation – which will include a total strip out and refit with new flooring, plumbing, electrics, insulation and installation of an air-source heat pump. Aileen McCreadie, partnerships and community manager at OnPath Energy, said: “This is exactly the kind of project our renewable funding exists to support, one that empowers local people to realise their ambitions and revitalises rural economies from the ground up. “The transformation of Billy’s into a space where residents can test out business ideas, develop skills and build confidence is a powerful example of what’s possible when investment is rooted in community needs. Whether it’s a pupil selling plum jam or a crafter launching their first product, this is about giving people a platform to grow, and that’s every bit as important as generating clean energy.” Councillor Robert Brown, who is South Lanarkshire’s enterprise resources chair, said: “The renewable energy fund is about more than just providing financial support – it’s about creating long-term benefits for local communities. “This funding will help to reflect the past, evoking fond memories of Billy’s unique and much-loved store for generations of local people; and in the present, will provide a valuable resource for the community. “It will help local entrepreneurs and small businesses step forward into their future and bring benefits that will span time like few other projects can manage; I am delighted to see it move forward.” * Don’t miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here . And did you know Lanarkshire Live is on Facebook ? Head on over and give us a like and share!
