City centre businesses are not getting a fair deal when roads are shut for filming, a Glasgow MSP said.

Pauline McNeill, Labour MSP, said adequate compensation for affected businesses should be  a condition of allowing  production firms to take over city streets.

When Batgirl was filming, McNeill said firms reported losses up to £10,000 and were offered £30 a day from Warner Bros.

The MSP said it was wrong for the filming company to have been given public cash as an incentive, while local businesses see their takings wiped out for days at a time.

She said: “Roads in Glasgow City centre were closed off earlier this year ahead of filming the new Batgirl movie.

“But the filming is said to have decimated trade for many businesses, who as you are aware struggled during lockdown and severe restrictions over Christmas.

“One owner of a bar and restaurant said they had lost up to £10,000 worth of business.

“And another one a clothing shop closed for a week due to low footfall due to road closures.

“They were offered £30 a day from Warner Bros and the city council offered an incentive  to the production company of £150,000.

“It’s wrong to offer financial incentives to production companies without making adequate compensation conditional for losses in trade.”

Kate Forbes, Finance Secretary, said the council and film companies should be talking to the businesses to ensure they are doing all they can.

She said: “I’m very conscious of the impact on businesses especially the ones she references in her question, on top of everything else they are contending with post covid and with the cost of living.

“I’m very conscious Glasgow City Council have made comment on this. I would expect the council and production companies to listen carefully to businesses, to engage with them and determine what more can be done to support them.”

She said the Covid recovery fund and Glasgow City Centre fund could be used to mitigate losses.