A New Future

It might be hard to believe but this building once housed Paisley's equivalent of Harrods- Cochran's of Paisley purveyors of high quality clothing, school uniforms and other fine products for discerning Paisley Buddies. In fact you had to get a letter from the school to confirm that you were entitled to buy the uniform, especially the tie. Its unique product was a blue duffel coat with buttons rather than the usual horn.

In 1964 it was taken over by the House of Fraser and became a branch of Arnotts. It gradually went downhill, becoming a bargain seconds branch before finally closing. This fine building has lain empty for many years but there are now plans to convert it into flats and create an area with a distinct identity- the Abbey Quarter. Here's hoping!

To many Paisley people it still remains Cochrans even though that connection ended long ago.