Work has started on an £8.5 million retail development bringing 110 new jobs to Cowdenbeath.
Property Developers London & Scottish Investments has started work on converting the former greyhound track at North End Park.
Already a row of businesses which fronted the High Street site have come down to make way for Lidl and B&M to set up shop.
Within days of securing final planning permission from Fife Council, contractors Muir Construction was clearing the site.
Supermarket chain Lidl and B&M, one of the UK’s fastest growing discount retailers, will each bring with them up to 40 long term jobs.
Muir Construction has 30 people working on the 10-month construction phase — many of them local tradesmen or sub-contractors.
Lidl will occupy a 20,000 sq ft unit while a 27,000 sq ft, including an outdoors sales area, is being built for B&M.
Both buildings and a 240-space car park are due to be completed by July next year with the stores ready to start to trade around six weeks later.
London and Scottish bought the site from Tesco three years ago and its development director Bryan Wilson said: “This is a great development which represents a real shot in the arm for Cowdenbeath’s economy.
“We are delighted that Lidl and B&M have committed to the site.
“Local shoppers are going to be spoiled for choice.”
At Lidl, there will be an in-store bakery, longer style tills, toilets and baby changing facilities while B&M will sell a wide variety of products.
Both retailers said they were delighted to be creating new jobs and shopping opportunities for Cowdenbeath and Lochgelly.
North End Park started life as Cowdenbeath FC’s home ground way back in the 1880s and the club played there till 1917, when it moved to Central Park.
The playing fields later became the home ground of Fife amateur club Hearts of Beath and was also used as a greyhound racing stadium from the 1930s until the 1970s.
It was latterly home to youth teams.
When planning permission was first granted to Tesco, a condition was that a new home be found for the displaced football teams before working on building the supermarket started.
A new sporting hub was built in neighbouring Lumphinnans but Tesco then pulled out of the North End site now earmarked for the two stores.
