Oban’s business community has welcomed a bid by retailer Marks and Spencer to create a store in the town.
The company has its sights set on a site in Lochavullin Drive which was vacated by German-owned Lidl.
Lidl uprooted last year, moving to a new location on the town’s Soroba Road.
It is not clear at this stage how many jobs might be created but campaigners yesterday gave their approval to the prospect of another major store offering shoppers a wider choice.
A spokeswoman for M&S said: “We’re interested in bringing a foodhall to Oban so we can best serve our customers and are looking at potential sites in the local area.
“We have no further details at the moment but will update the community when we can.”
Derek Connery, chief executive of the business enterprise BID4OBAN Ltd, said: “It’s great to see that Marks and Spencer have applied for planning permission for the former Lidl store.
“This ends months of speculation and also sees another unit in Oban filled.
“Not that there are too many vacant units in the town as a whole, quite the contrary.”
He added: “This is testament to how much Oban is thriving and the money being invested in Oban by businesses of all sizes.
“With respect to M&S, I’m sure that some operators will be concerned about some level of displacement. However, I would argue that M&S will also draw more people to the town, which in turn will benefit all manner and size of business locally.
“Their decision to come to Oban is another reflection of the vibrancy of Oban, not just as a tourist town but as a regional centre for Argyll and the Islands.”
The M&S brand began life as “Marks” in 1884 when Polish refugee Michael Marks established a store in Leeds.
A decade later he joined forces with Thomas Spencer, a former cashier from the wholesale firm Dewhirst.