DEFIANT traders who are fearing for the future of their businesses have launched a campaign to remind city shoppers that Sauchiehall Street is open.

A drop in footfall on the iconic city street has had a huge impact on trading for smaller independent retailers, particularly those based in The Savoy Centre.

One trader told The Evening Times that things are so bad, she has not been able to buy her winter stock.

Glasgow Times:

Joan Duff, who has ran Baby Spot in The Savoy Centre for 36 years, said: “There are less and less people coming in, and the fact of the matter is, they think Sauchiehall Street is closed.

“We are open, we are functioning as businesses but we need the public support.”

“This is the biggest thing that has ever happened to my business. You always know you have got quiet days but you can compensate for that.

“But this time we can’t compensate, we are absolutely struggling. I am 36 years in business and in 36 weeks time I could be finished. I am trying my best because I am passionate about my business.”

Glasgow Times:

Jamie O’Neill, owner of Hotspot Mobile, is leading the Open for Business Glasgow campaign, which comes with the social media hashtag, #SupportSauchiehallSt.

He took over his business on the street at the start of the year and has faced one obstacle after other including the Beast from the East storm, Victoria’s Nightclub fire and the Glasgow School of Art blaze, which have all had an effect on the footfall.

He hopes to promote the existing businesses, which are opened, and give a voice to the struggling traders through the power of social media.

Jamie said: “Some people have been in the Savoy Centre for more than three decades and it is getting to the stage where they have to choose between paying their gas and electricity in their house or keep paying the rents.

“We waited at least 14 weeks until the Glasgow School of Art fire before the council started saying what they were going to do to help us.”

Glasgow Times:

Jamie has launched a petition, which he hopes the public will back, calling on Glasgow City Council and The Scottish Government to support businesses and residents affected by both fires.

Jamie has asked for residents and businesses, who are still displaced, to be given supervised access to their properties. The petition also calls for the creation of an an emergency fund to alleviate the mounting pressure to businesses inside and outside the cordons. A further call is also made on Glasgow City Council to implement blanket rates relief on all businesses, backdated to the original fire in March, without the need for businesses to complete a bureaucratic application process. Currently, businesses claim they have to provide a variety of documents to the local authority to get rates relief.

Jamie said: “Parts of Sauchiehall Street and surrounding streets have been left a disaster zone since two separate fires caused devastation.

“Since the aftermath of the fire, there has been bad communication between Glasgow City Council and those affected; little support for residents who had found themselves displaced; a slow response in terms of supporting businesses and, what seems like, no sympathy or common sense from political leaders.

“Residents and business owners are worried about their property, their future in the street and frustrated with the lack of understanding and action, however, as it becomes apparent that little progress will come without making some noise, we will share our stories as far as possible until our lives go back to some normality.”

The problems on Sauchiehall Street began in March when a fire destroyed Victoria’s Nightclub. A cordon was set up so that building could be taken down - and several businesses were put out of operation.

A second fire, which destroyed the Glasgow School of Art Mackintosh building, saw the erection of another cordon which has stopped more businesses from trading and displaced residents of Garnethill.

The two cordons and ongoing regeneration works have put most of the street out of commission with the public having to use back lanes or side streets to get access to the opened parts.

Glasgow Times:

Shakeel Ahmed, who run Sine hair and beauty in The Savoy Centre for nine years, above, said: “The business is going down day by day, and there are fewer people coming into the shop.

“We are worried about the future because I need to feed my family and I employee several people.”

Sam Barr, who has run a watch repair business in The Savoy Centre for 29 years, said: “The footfall has dropped dramatically and we have noticed a big difference in passing trade.

“People still think the place is closed and once the cordon is removed, you worry whether those customers will come back.”

Glasgow Times:

As The Evening Times was speaking to traders, The Daisy Jane store, which is next to The Savoy Centre, above, put up closing down signs after four years on the street.

The Evening Times understands that the three members of staff employed at the retailer were told that their employment will end on Thursday.

It is also understood that the unit will be taken over by a retailer which is currently within the Victoria’s Nightclub fire cordon.

Glasgow City Council said that they have been having ongoing discussions with traders. Officials from the local authority were seen on Tuesday getting feedback from retailers in The Savoy Centre. Some of the traders, however, claimed that this was the first contact that they had with local authority officials.

A Glasgow City Council spokeswoman said: “This is simply not true. Two council business advisers have been based by the Savoy for the last four weeks and representatives of the Savoy Centre have attended public meetings - dates of which have been widely publicised and communicated.”

Glasgow Times:

The local authority also offered its reassurances that it will continue to work with businesses on Sauchiehall Street.

A spokeswoman added: “The council is working with businesses in the affected area and there are a range of measures in place to offer support.

“Business support staff are available close by to advise, and where possible provide other forms of help. There is also a process in place by which businesses who are in an exclusion zone can apply for a zero rating on business rates, for the period in which they can’t operate. We have also extended the Glasgow Guarantee to some of the affected businesses, which pays a portion of the salary of those employees supported by the scheme. We are also speaking with insurers to ensure that affected businesses receive as much assistance as possible.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “We have made £1,500 emergency funding available for each household displaced because of the fire at the Mack, matched by Glasgow City Council, to provide a total of £3,000 and a separate scheme has been introduced which significantly increases Scottish Government contribution to non-domestic rates hardship funding, from 75% to 95%, for businesses negatively affected as a result of the fire. “

“We recognise the challenges faced by Sauchiehall Street and those who live and work on it and are actively working with the Council and the School of Art to provide support, to consider what further action can be taken and to ensure that once it is safe to do so people are able to access their properties again - however public safety remains the priority.”

You can sign the petition here