A rallying call has been issued for landlords with vacant properties in Elgin to step forward to try and save St Giles Centre businesses.
Firms in the shopping centre have until just Monday next week to move out after being told the mall is closing due to crippling debts.
Owners pulled the plug after Moray Council launched legal action to recover an unpaid business rates bill understood to total £750,000.
It means 15 businesses are at risk of being forced to stop trading within a week after being made homeless with about 100 jobs on the line.
Public appeals have now been issued for landlords in Elgin to come forward with vacant properties for St Giles Centre businesses to assess.
Meanwhile, Moray Council has pledged to expedite the usual planning processes to help retain as many firms and jobs as possible.
‘Landlords can help us save St Giles Centre businesses’
Elgin Bid has been among those coordinating the response to the St Giles Centre closure.
The principal task in the days since the news was announced has been trying to retain as many retailers as possible within the town.
Some have signalled their intention to find a new home, The Works has already confirmed it intends to leave Elgin while others are understood to still be considering their options.
Elgin Bid manager Angela Norrie has called on property owners in Elgin to come forward to try and save as many jobs as possible in the town.
She said: “We have all the businesses in the St Giles Centre at the moment that are looking at losing their home within just a few days.
“If there is anyone with vacant units in Elgin then we would be very keen to work with them to try and match them up with tenants in the shopping centre.
“Perhaps there could be an option of multiple tenants sharing the same space, or maybe part of a space that is already occupied.
“At this stage we would consider anything. Let’s come together to try and keep these businesses in Elgin and retain as many jobs as we can.”
Property owners with available units should contact Elgin Bid by calling 01343 550652 or by e-mailing hello@elginbid.co.uk
How landlords can help keep St Giles Centre retailers in Elgin
Moray Chamber of Commerce has also been matchmaking St Giles Centre tenants with available units in the local area.
The group has created a spreadsheet of affected businesses and how much space they need so they paired with available properties.
Chief executive Sarah Medcraf said: “There isn’t a lot of time now, so we really want to do what we can as quickly as possible to find new homes for these businesses.
“It would be a benefit to the landlords too to have these units filled, so we really want to hear from them.
“There would still have to be deals done between the retailers and landlords, which isn’t something we can get involved in, but hopefully we can speed things up by putting people in contact with each other.”
Beverly Smith, Moray Council’s head of economic growth and development, explained the local authority has put in processes to expedite any planning permissions or licences needed for new units.
She said: “We’ve got central points of contact to try and speed things up for those who need planning permissions.
“With the timescales we’ve got, we’re trying to speed things up where we can, which is something we would do regarding anything of this scale in the town centre.”
Businesses or property owners who want to contact Moray Chamber of Commerce can call 01343 543344 or e-mail info@moraychamber.co.uk
‘Closing shopping centre in just two weeks is completely unprecedented’
St Giles Shopping Centre manager Stephen Young has described the task of closing a building the size of the mall in just two weeks as “completely unprecedented”.
Mr Young, who is also chairman of Elgin Bid, explained he works for a company employed by the landlord to manage the day-to-day the operations of the shopping centre – explaining he and his team had no knowledge of the growing business rates bill.
Speaking in a personal capacity, he said: “Our priority over the last few days has been to support the staff we have at the shopping centre and the retailers with whatever decision they take.
“Closing a shopping centre like this in just two weeks is completely unprecedented.
“That’s not just me saying that, that’s the industry view on it.
“You have to work with the retailers, you’ve got the logistics of everyone moving their stuff out and then dealing with the electricity, fire alarms, sprinklers, cameras, intruder alarms, everything like that.
“It’s a huge challenge, completely unprecedented.”
Scottish Government to be pressed for St Giles Centre support
Highlands and Islands MSP Douglas Ross says he will press Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes this week on what support the Scottish Government can offer.
Mr Ross says the two-week deadline given to retailers to move all of their stock and equipment out of the St Giles Centre is “completely unacceptable”.
He said: ““Even delaying the closure date would give some much needed relief to businesses and charities in the centre who are crying out for help.
“There is a desire for many of them to remain in Elgin and Moray but they must be supported to do so, and given sufficient time to look for alternative locations.
“I am firmly on the side of local businesses who have had the rug pulled from under them and I will be putting their points directly to ministers in Holyrood later this week.”
Read more from the St Giles Centre
- St Giles Centre closure: Which retailers want to stay in Elgin and which could be leaving?
- Where could the soon-to-be-homeless St Giles businesses relocate to remain in Elgin?
- Retail park rows, supermarket deals and a massive bus station makeover: The St Giles Centre expansion plans in Elgin that never happened
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