LESS than a week on from the dramatic announcement Novak International, the company that owns Tamworth’s Southgate and Northgate supermarkets, had gone into receivership we are beginning to get a clearer picture of what the future holds.

Northgate, as we said on Monday, is a strong and viable commercial centre with a modern and well-stocked supermarket already up and trading.

These factors have, no doubt, contributed to yesterday’s announcement that every effort is being made to have the $20 million redevelopment completed by October.

Once this is done – and, of course, that date is subject to a wide range of variables – odds are it will be placed on the open market.

The good news is that because the crisis is being handled in this way it will be marketed as a going concern rather than as a work in progress.

That will deliver welcome certainty to existing businesses and to other operators considering taking up one of the specialty shops.

The future for Southgate, on the other hand, is not quite so clear.

This centre, which has been allowed to run down badly over the past 12 months on the basis of plans for a $30 million makeover, currently presents a rather unattractive facade to the world.

Its supermarket is a Bi-Lo, a brand Coles is committed to phasing out nationally.

While all indications are that the supermarket will continue to trade for the indefinite future it is well known that other businesses are in the process of relocating.

Some have been planning to do so for some time while others are opting to shift in response to these, and earlier, difficulties.

The Leader has, to date, been unable to obtain a comment from the receivers handling Southgate on their plans.

The two shopping centres, for reasons that have not been made clear, are being handled by different receivers.

It is to be hoped an announcement will be made on what is happening at Southgate in the very near future so that tenants, tradespeople and contractors are given a clear indication of how their demands are to be met.