Farmfoods as well now! no company is going to want to open up a business in the area if all the other shops around them are sitting empty, surely it makes more sense to keep the shops they have instead of forcing them all out.

I hear the R S McColls is to be Lloyds the chemist.

Does anyone know what is happening with Aldi and Lidle?

Gossip seems to be that Lidle are no longer coming because of parking issues and Tesco has but a stop to Aldi as it will be right behind them.

If this is true the only food shop in Penicuik center will be Somerfield and this is not good news.

I am really starting to think if it wasnt for Greggs I wouldnt go into the center at all now.

No one seems to have any definite news about either Lidl or Aldi - why they cannot just put out something in the local press saying yes or no, I don't know as it would stop all the uncertainty which is not doing any good at all.
I did notice today that Noble's old garage place (behind Tesco) which is earmarked for Aldi has been well and truly vandalised with all the windows smashed and graffiti on the walls inside. Maybe this will force whoever owns it now to take some action and clear the site to prevent any unfortunate incidents - I won't be holding my breath though!

I have now heard that the Cuiken Inn is to be closed. Does anyone have any more information?

When I was out for a run on my bike earlier this evening I noticed that the former coffee shop in Lambs pend now seems to be another hairdressers. It doesn't look as if there is much happening with the takeaway in bridge street though.

The dry cleaners are also leaving us - again due to not being able to afford the rent.

With the credit crunch and the state of the economy, I suspect that some of the things you mention will be making a comeback soon. At the same time though, it's going to be tough for small businesses. It's good to see that the price of petrol and diesel is coming down though.

I've just heard that Peterson's in Musselburgh is closing down. I think that it was on the verge of closure some years back but it was taken over. I also heard that MFI at Straiton is also on it's last legs.

Noticed yesterday that both MFI & Roseby's are to close at Straiton.

The 'To Let' boards are up at the Royal Hotel again (no surprise there) and Remax has gone (not much of a surprise there either given the current state of the market).

Belt-tightening time.

I wondered how long before our Remax closed down as several other ones in the area have already packed in. Not very nice for the people running them as they probably thought they had a lucrative and successful business going until the "credit crunch" really hit home. Seems like pubs, property and cars are businesses to stay clear of.
I wonder which property place will be next.....?

The dry cleaners has now closed down to add to all the other empty shops in John Street (Flower Studio, Remax, Insurance shop). When you see the rent they want for these places it is no wonder with £30k+ a year being the going rate for the former newsagents - the owners obviously live on a different planet where there is no "credit crunch". I wonder how long the new units below the flats currently under construction will be empty.

PS: It would be nice to see updated photos of the town centres in the "Midlothian Pictures" section just to see how much has changed in the past couple of years

Yeah, I'll need to get out and about with my camera soon . Part of the problem is that when I go and try to take some pictures in the cold weather, the batteries don't seem to last very long.