A business moving out of St Giles has paid tribute to the staff at the Elgin shopping centre.
Lee and Grant Midlane took out a three-month lease in October on a 30m² unit upon the lower floor.
Box Brand has been based in the St Giles Centre.
Since then they have been running Box Brand which specializes in creating custom-made clothing and gifts for individuals and companies looking for unique designs.
The couple wanted to see if their entrepreneurial idea had potential during a period when their other business, IT Central on Harrow Inn Close, is being renovated using a grant from Moray Council.
Lee said: “We’re in a very privileged position because our lease was always due to end on January 17.
“But it still came as a genuine shock when we learned that St Giles would be closing. It’s very sad, especially as the centre’s staff have alway been so helpful.
“At some places you’d be given a key then just left to cope as best you could – but not here. St Giles’ security staff and its management really went out of their way to help us.
“We’ve genuinely enjoyed being based here these past three months.
“It’s been a success in terms of customer numbers – there have been far more enquiries than you’d ever get if you were just operating online.
“Also, it’s often a lot easier to deal with customers face-to-face as well. You can arrive much quicker at an understanding of exactly what they’re looking for.”
All the business within St Giles were told on January 8 that they had to move out by this coming Monday, January 20.
Several are currently in limbo, still deciding what they should do.
As regards to the future, Lee suggests more be done locally should to help folk make the jump from operating purely online.
She said: “There’s a lack of small and smallish units available on flexible leases. It would be good if people could take on a place for a limited time so they could test out their ideas.
“Then, if things are going well enough, they’d be free to take on a slightly larger unit, and so on.
“That way they’d be able to work their way up gradually.”