Shoppers have described the nearly empty St Giles Centre as ‘heart-breaking’ as more stores close their doors before the final day on Monday.
The High Street was busy with shoppers from across the north-east on Saturday as the town prepared to take on Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup.
Many locals also took this time to visit the St Giles Centre for the final time.
Tenants were given less than two weeks notice of the closure decision earlier this month.
Now, most shops within the centre have closed their doors – including Waterstones and WHSmith.
Subway, EE, Vodafone, Fab Brows Bar and The Works were among the shops still operating on the busy Saturday.
The shopping centre will close on Monday, January 20.
Jaqueline Russel, from Birnie, saw the centre when it was first built.
Today, her daughter accompanied her to visit the shopping complex for their final time.
Shoppers mourn ‘heart-breaking’ decision to close centre
“You do wonder where it has all gone wrong,” Jaqueline added.
“I know the retail parks have come, but even they don’t have much shops. It’s just heart-breaking.
“We’ve just came to have a last look around. Just because it’s so sad that it’s closing.”
Jenna Smith, from Aberdeen, said the centre looks like “a ghost town.”
“I’m only here to see the football, but I’ve been to the shopping centre before and it’s such a shame that something like this could happen.
“It feels like a ghost town.”
Despite The Works saying their final day would be on Friday, they remained open on Saturday.
The firm is currently working to move their five staff members based in Elgin elsewhere.
St Giles Elgin ‘another empty space in town’
It is understood the retailer is unlikely to open another branch in Elgin.
One shopper said it was the busiest she had ever seen The Works.
The queue at the checkouts stretched around the shop.
Irene Harrold, from Elgin, remembers when the shopping centre first opened up in 1991.
Speaking to the Press and Journal last week, she said: “The St Giles Centre was good when it first opened because there was a lot of shops in it but gradually over the years it’s had less and less.
“I’m sad it’s closing down as it’s going to be another empty space in Elgin.
“I feel very sorry for the shops that are still there that need to find new premises.”
Phyllis Cameron, from Lhanbryde, fears ‘not much’ will be left after the closure of the St Giles Centre.
“I thought it was great when it was built for a start, and it was full of shops,” she said.
“It’s now more like an empty building.”
Elgin Waterstones are ‘considering all options’ for new unit
A Waterstones spokeswoman said: “We are very disappointed that we must leave and we will consider all options to remain in Elgin.
“In the interim, roles for all members of the Elgin bookselling team have been found in our Inverness shop.”
The St Giles Centre is due to close its doors for the last time at 5pm on Monday.
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