RETAILERS facing losses due to the disruption caused by two major fires in Glasgow city centre have accused the local authority of ignoring their concerns.
A “business task force” has been formed to give traders a chance to air their concerns about situation affecting Sauchiehall Street, one of the main shopping thoroughfares, which is currently closed in two sections by separate exclusion zones..
A fire at Victoria's nightclub in March and the blaze at the Glasgow School of Art last weekend has lead to streets being closed and businesses shut down while work takes place to control the damage.
A security cordon has closed off much of Sauchiehall Street
Traders slammed Glasgow City Council during meeting called by Iain Gordon, the manager of the shuttered Pavilion Theatre, saying there had been a lack of dialogue with city officials.
READ MORE: Business leaders fear further economic impact of Art School blaze
The owner of eaterie Bagel Mania, near the art school, feared she would not be able to come back from the “disaster.”
She said: “I’ve been on that street for 21 years and, with no footfall, I don’t see me lasting much longer.”
Another restaurant owner pleaded with the council to give traders access to their units, even if just for an hour a day, amid concerns for food hygiene and infestation.
“We don’t want updates from the council after a day or so. We need to know what’s going on every minute, every hour.”
Paul Sweeney, the Labour MP for Glasgow North East, said the council was not equipped to deal with such an “unusual crisis” and had not put procedures in place to help businesses, while the Conservative MSP for Glasgow, Adam Tomkins, branded the council’s handling of the situation “a disgrace”, and “chaos.”
READ MORE: Glasgow art school - Sadness turns to anger over disaster
Firemen work to damp down smouldering debris at the art school
The police also came in for criticism, after telling the public to “completely avoid” the 1.7-mile long Sauchiehall Street, a move said to be detrimental to traders that are open for businesses.
Prior to the meeting, Graham Smith, economic development manager at Glasgow City Council, emphasised a need for a business information service for the south end of Sauchiehall Street after one was put into place for the north end in the Dental Hospital.
He said that the exclusion zones had to stay in place while there were still fears the buildings could collapse.
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He said: “Surveys in recent days have shown us the west and east elevations [of the art school] remain of significant concern.
"This means there is a risk that parts of the building might fall into Scott Street or Dalhousie Street. This could happen without warning.”
The art school ablaze on Friday night
A spokesman for Glasgow City Council said that, in the case of both fires, public safety remained its chief concern.
Discussing the art school site, he said: "The council has business advisors working in the Dental School in Sauchiehall Street and we have been speaking to businesses since Monday morning.
"Unfortunately, the site of the fire remains very dangerous and it is simply not possible to give residents or businesses acess into the cordon.
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