Colquhoun Square and the esplanade have now been redeveloped as part of the £6.6 million CHORD project, whilst retailers are keen to emphasise that shops are open for business on Sinclair Street and East Princes Street as the final phase of work continues.

The Helensburgh and Lomond Chamber of Commerce organised a meeting on Tuesday night, which was attended by retailers and councillor Ellen Morton, depute leader of the council, and councillor Gary Mulvaney.

Cllr Morton said she has been engaged in a series of meetings with local retailers, and she emphasised that the council will support retailers to look forward and use the new facilities from CHORD to benefit the town and its economy.

Cllr Morton added: “A multi-million pound investment and the scale of works associated with it will inevitably bring some disruption, but I have been encouraged to hear local businesses report that they are already seeing the return on that investment.

“Businesses are making the most of the new spaces – for example, using the new wider pavements to expand what they offer to customers, with tables and displays outside.

“Their innovation, combined with the council’s financial support of established and new events like the forthcoming Hallowe’en festival, is bringing more visitors and more customers to the town. As the works progress and complete, the level of footfall – and Helensburgh’s economy – will grow and grow.” Referring to calls for compensation for CHORD-affected businesses, spearheaded by Jackie Baillie MSP, the Helensburgh and Lomond South councillor said that would be difficult due to the difference between the impact of CHORD on large national businesses and small independent retailers and how this would be judged.

In relation to compensation for CHORD-affected businesses, the chamber echoed the idea that it was a ‘very complex’ issue.

A spokesman for the Helensburgh and Lomond Chamber of Commerce said: “The retailers that have businesses on finished areas of CHORD are certainly more positive and delighted with the works but of course there is still concern from shops currently affected or still to have their pavements disrupted.

“Whilst the call for compensation is a good one, and we would support any help that businesses could get, it is hard to see a fair way that this could be organised.

“Perhaps the best compensation the town could have is the setting aside of a serious marketing budget for the town, funding for events and the employment of a professional to organise and deliver both.

“This is an issue the chamber has been raising with the council since the CHORD project started but so far with no success.

“The chamber has offered to plan, cost and execute a multi-level marketing plan for the town with the focus being on external messages and feel that now decisions must be made.” Kathleen Owen, owner of the Pet Shop on Sinclair Street, added that retailers, businesses, and local people, are keen to ‘look forward’ and see the town reap the benefits of the CHORD project — with co-ordinated, professional help from the council.

She said: “We would like to see the town promoted in a positive way by the council with professional help to market the town effectively, not just with local events, but nationally.

“The square, which is now complete, lends itself to events, and nationally we can see town’s that have become a book town or a food town, but now Helensburgh needs to decide what it wants to be and what events can be brought here.” Henry Ainslie, editor of the Advertiser, said: “There is no doubt the best way forward for Helensburgh is to properly market the new facilities the CHORD project has and will deliver – and the initiatives already launched by the Chamber of Commerce – such as the summer and winter festivals, and seasonal events like next week’s Hallowe’en party — are shining examples of what’s required.

“To support chamber and the town’s businesses, we will soon launch a Keep it Local this Christmas campaign to promote the refurbished areas of the town centre, and let townsfolk and visitors alike know the areas under construction are still open for business.

“However, there is no escaping the pain and suffering felt by businesses throughout the town caused by the delayed CHORD project — and they deserve to be compensated for the damage to their livelihoods. As such we will continue to support Jackie Baillie’s calls for compensation through our joint Fair Deal campaign.”