Welcome to this new section on Livingstoni. This section within the website will include all known constructing work going on with in the town from a shop getting open to a housing estate. You will hear it first at Livingstoni.  Sketchers Shoe shop are set to open a store in the Livingston Designer Outlet. Sketchers is an american shoe company who are most famous for there Doc Marten-style sandals and sports shoes designed for use with skateboards, but the company has since moved into mainstream casual footwear targeting the teenage market. Visit Official UK Website B&Q within the Almondvale south retail park are planning to reduce the size of there current store and transform part of the store in a Health and Fitness Centre. B&Q have decided to reduce the size of some of its larger stores which have surplus space. The Livingston Store will be split in two with 3,486sq for the new health and fitness centre with a second floor with 1,017sq. This will leave the B&Q store with 6,224sq of space and also the outdoor garden centre. The gym will comprise of a store and a gym in one. Possibly a JJB gym similar to the one located in The Fort Retail Park in the outskirts of Glasgow. ***Will add more soon*** ScS Upholstery plc is set to move into the newly converted former Reid furniture store in the Almondvale Retail park. Reid furniture initially had a lease on two units which it has recently gave up one to allow an extension to the unit which Scs is set to occupy.   Howden House Plans A planning application has been submitted to West Lothian Council to transform howden house from its present run down and disused state. The plans are to turn the existing house into a number of meeting rooms, bistro and large restaurant. With an exstension which will have a large foyer hall which leads into a large function hall and also housing or hotel accomodation. We will update this page when we receive any other information. Howden House New Retail Development A planning application has been submitted to West Lothian Council for a 2436 Square meter new shopping development on the former site of the Safeway Petrol Station on the Almondvale Boulevard. Esk properties has submitted a application to create 7 retail units, 6 in a "L" shape, 1 unit standing alone, free standing ATM and car parking over the former site. The shopping development will help boost Livingstons profile as a top scottish shopping destination, which will coincide with the phase 3. Starbucks coffee coming to Livingston. A planning application has been submitted to West Lothian Council to open a starbucks coffee in the former Bodum shop within the McArthur Glen which is situated to right of millies cookies. Starbucks Coffee Company is the leading retailer, roaster and brand of specialty coffee in the world, with more than 6,000 retail locations in North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and the Pacific Rim. We have no dates when this will open - we will update this page when we receive any further information.   New Bar and restaurant, Massimo. New bar and restaurant is nearly ready for opening on the groud floor of the Travel lodge located next to West Lothian College. Massimo Leisure has taken a new 25 year lease on the 771 sq m (8,300 sq ft) ground floor bar/restaurant at an annual rent of £99,600. Niall Burns of LSH said: "We were not surprised that we managed to secure a tenant so quickly after the completion of phase 1 as the bar/restaurant opportunity attracted a lot of interest. Not only is the site well located for Livingston as a whole, but with a very successful Travelodge hotel already trading on-site and up to 9,290 sq m (100,000 sq ft) of Grade A offices planned for phase 2, there is a sizeable potential clientele on the immediate doorstep".   McArthur Glen At home Section Redeveloped. The former At Home Section in the McArthur Glen is now set to reopen after taken around 6 months to redevelop.  The area Situated under the multi storey car park comprising of the former At home section and also the large storage areas which were located behind the at home section have been redeveloped to offer 13 individual units and a café. The main store which is set to open on the 27th October is Next Clearance a Discounted Version of next, first of its kind in Scotland. The store will be the largest store within the centre offering discounted clearance stock. Also to be located within this new units are Remington, Charles Clinkard Shoes and Le Creuset. The Next Clearance store will stock casual, smart and occasion wear for men and women alongside quality homewares and childrenswear all with discounts of up to 50% off typical high street prices from previous season. Remington is one of the leading brands in professional hair care, shaving and grooming products. The Clinkard Group has now grown to be the leading Independent Footwear Retailer in the North East and one of the largest Independents in the UK. Le Creuset Specialist in Pots and dishes made to a very high standard. More information will follow when we get it.... *Update*  Full details have been released click here for full details.   **Livingstoni Exclusive** Brand New Development for Almondvale, Livingston. Livingstoni has learned that there a meeting underway on Wednesday 27th July at Livingston Football Club, for all tenants of both the Almondvale shopping centre and McArthur glen designer outlet where the plans will be fully explained for a new development for around the two centres. We have been told that the current police station is to be relocated to the new Civic centre or else where within the town. The construction of a new multi storey car park will be taking the location of the police station and the old bus station which is currently used as a overspill car park. We have learned that the multi-storey car park will be needed as the car parking spaces between the two centres are to be closed and something is to be constructed on the site. An extension is possible to the almondvale shopping centre with more stores which will bring both centres closer together and stop the traffic problem caused by the zebra crossing adjacent to Iceland. The multi-storey car park has good access to the centre from the original entrance from the old bus station, which is still in place. The closure of the car park between the two   centres will create more of a connection and will help boost both centres customer levels, with better sheltered access. The construction is to be happen around 2008. Please note this is just speculation and may not  be true or accurate please visit again for more update and accurate facts on what’s happen as soon as we find out. If you know anything on this subject other than what we know please contact us admin@livingstoni.co.uk New retail units are being constructed next to Da Vinci's. The site of the new units is in front of the Da Vinci's hotel, Next to the Newyearfield roundabout. There are 3 units being constructed and we hear there will be a Farmfoods store a bookmakers and a Pizza hut, we think it will be pick up and delivery only and not a restaurant. There was a Farmfoods store within the Almondvale shopping centre a few years ago were the current rangers shop is located, but later closed. There is also a pizza hut in the Macarthur glen design outlet but it doesn’t do home deliveries. We will more information when we get it. **Update** Livingstoni has received confirmation from Farmfoods, that they are planning on coming to Livingston by the end of the year, but no location has been confirmed yet.   Maplin Electronics is coming to the town within the former Traesko Furniture store within unit 10b of Almondvale retail park. The store is due to open on the 21st of February 2005. About Maplin Electronics  "Over 15,000 products are available from the catalogue, e-commerce and store network. The broad product categories are Sound & Vision, Computer products and Hobbies & Electronics. We introduce hundreds of new and exciting products every month and pride ourselves on our unique product offer. " Visit Website The At Home section within the McArthur Glen shopping centre is to be closed with in the next few months and the section within the centre is to be transferred into 13 individual shops and a cafe. The transformation is to take around 6 months. The area will be completed by October of this year. One of the main stores which will be located with in the new units is "Next to nothing" a discounted version of Next. Visit Website  Shoe Express is returning to the Almondvale shopping centre. The shoe store was once within the centre around 10 years ago then it moved out and has now decided to return. The store is due to open in the next few months, within the former "Sports Connection" within phase 1 of the centre. Just a few units along from where it previously was located.