Pie of relief as Greggscommits to Lanark

What turned out to be half-baked rumours of it abandoning the town were sparked off when a to-let sign appeared outside the High Street branch.

However, the Gazette was assured this week that the North Tyneside-based company is merely planning to move out of its current premises later in the summer to relocate elsewhere in High Street.

A spokeswoman on Tuesday indicated that this new location had already been chosen but wouldn’t reveal yet exactly where that would be, although she did say it would be near the current branch.

There were further rare glad tidings for High Street, currently home to several vacant properties, with the official opening last Friday of a branch of the Debra chain of charity shops in the large premises originally used by the Templeton supermarket.

It has two full-time members of staff and is currently recruiting volunteers.

The charity was founded in 1978 as the world’s first support group for sufferers of epidermolyis bullosa, a painful, blistering skin condition.

The Debra shop sells donated furniture, electrical goods, books, toys and DVDs.