A national charity is set to open up in one of Linlithgow’s most prominent and empty shops.
Councillors will be asked to agree on a ten-year lease that will see the former M&Co store in the controversial Vennel building brought back into use.
The store- empty since December 2022- had become an eyesore just yards from the town’s historic centre, The Cross, and was losing the council almost £20,000 a year in rates.
Following a closing date for offers; Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland were successful in their bid to lease the former M&Co property for a 10-year term from West Lothian Council. The retail unit is one of the largest in Linlithgow town centre.
A report is being presented to the Council Executive next week seeking approval of councillors.
The store has a main sales area of 378sqm and a first floor of 356 sqm in storage, kitchen and WC facilities.
A report to the Executive said: “The store is one of the largest retail units within the town, the premises are in less demand than many of the smaller retail units favoured by local independent retailers and consequently has proven difficult to let in recent years, being vacant since December 2022.
However, Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland, which already trades from the town in a much smaller unit, is keen to expand and have offered to lease the premises at 5 The Vennel via a competitive tender process. Under the terms of their current lease, the charity has the option to bring the lease to an end by serving notice in February, and it is keen to secure larger premises within the town.
The report added: “The council is currently responsible for vacant rates payments equating to £17,878 per annum with this set to increase to £18,775 in April 2026 after the new valuation roll takes effect from the 2026 Revaluation process. Consequently, by securing the proposed letting the council will secure additional income and savings of between £52,878 and £53,775 during the first five years.”
The charity has offered to rent the property for ten years at £35,000 per annum for the first five years- rising to £38,000 per annum after that.
Currently, just over 5% of Linlithgow town centre shops are empty. The occupancy rate is 94.6%.
On average last year, Linlithgow’s town centre shop occupancy rate average in 2025 was very good with shop occupancy at 93.4% (6.8% vacant). However, across West Lothian traditional town centres the average is consistently below 10% vacancy.
This continues to remain favourable in comparison with UK and Scottish national averages highlighting West Lothian’s local shops are doing well in comparison to the majority of areas in Scotland.
The Vennel- winner of an award when it was built in the late Sixties- could be described as the the definition of the term “Marmite architecture”- it is either loved or loathed.
There have long been calls in the town for its redevelopment. As with most Brutalist architecture it has not aged well and quirks such as the flat roof and concealed internal guttering have contributed to problems with the structure.
One critic dubbed the building a “concrete colander”.
By Stuart Sommerville, Local Democracy Reporter
