JOHNSTONE has been handed an early Christmas present, after council chiefs agreed to splash out £40,000 on new festive lights.

The windfall is part of a spending spree that will see more than £500,000 being invested to boost town centres across Renfrewshire.

Major projects in Renfrew, Erskine and Paisley will also benefit, thanks to an award of £527,000 from the Scottish Government’s Town Centre Fund (TCF).

Members of Renfrewshire Council’s Leadership Board approved splitting the cash seven ways.

Councillor Andy Doig, who represents Johnstone town centre, hopes the innovative designs for the new festive lights will provide some cheer for residents.

“It is not exactly a secret that, over the last few years, my constituents in Johnstone really felt their lights were pretty jaded and faded,” he said.

“I approached council officers with a view to seeing if Johnstone could get a Christmas lights deal this year similar to that which Renfrew got last year, with nice, shiny, smart lights that look really modern.

“I am indebted to the officers concerned as they came up with some exceptional designs which I passed on to Johnstone Community Council.

“I am grateful to Renfrewshire Council for applying for this money from the TCF, which means the people of Johnstone can have seasonal lights which will cheer up not just the folk but the businesses of the town too.”

The windfall also includes £240,000 that will be divided evenly between launching a Start-Up Street initiative in Renfrew and supporting PACE Theatre Company’s project to open a new base at the former Mannequins nightclub in Paisley.

Start-Up Street was launched last year and supports firms making the leap into their first commercial premises by adapting vacant council-owned units in Paisley’s George Street into a range of workspaces.

Council chiefs have earmarked £120,000 to expand this project into Renfrew, with units in Dunlop Crescent being revamped.

Councillors also signed off £100,000 grants for a tenement improvement project in Paisley’s County Place and community group Erskine Arts, which is seeking to take over a space in Erskine’s leisure centre.