Dungannon Orange Lodge buys virtual shops on Perry Street

“The lodge is the purchaser,” said spokesman for the lodge, John Hobson. “Our plans for Perry Street would be to basically restructure it.”

To put the move into context, he told the Times: “With the regeneration of Market Square and Castle Hill, we discussed this [area] within our local lodge, [as well as] different areas of the town.

“Perry Street had been sitting so long and with it being the gateway to Dungannon if you like, we felt, maybe as a lodge we could do something with it to help - Do our wee bit to enhance Dungannon.”

Talking about the lodge’s plan for the row of shops, for which they paid almost double the asking price (£230k), he added: “It’s very early stages but we intend to have seven commercial outlets - there’s already two sitting tenants, and we have had an enquiry from a beautician and a hairdresser, and there’s a strong possibility of a small animal veterinary clinic coming to town - It is quite positive.

“There will be a number town houses and apartments over the commercial premises, that’s basically how the street will be regenerated.

“It’s a very big project for a wee tiny lodge, but we’re quite confident that we can work together with all the different agencies and do something for the people of Dungannon.”

As for the shops already let, he said: “As work commences they will be asked to move into new premises.”