Staff devastated over green light to bulldoze party shop
AGOVAN business has told of their devastation as plans to bulldoze their premises to make way for a new Aldi superstore were approved.
That Party Place on Helen Street will be bulldozed alongside the next door premises, currently occupied by B& M, after a planning application by the supermarket giant was approved by Glasgow City Council.
Owner Alex Kilbride says that he has now had verbal confirmation from landlords that the shop’s lease will be up in January 2021, despite lodging objections to the planning application.
Alex said: “I’m devastated to tell you the truth.
“We have been here for seven years and it feels like this big multinational company are squeezing out a small, local business for the sake of a few parking spaces.
“We are quite literally being bulldozed out of business.”
As previously reported, Glasgow City Council approved a planning application, which was submitted on behalf of the supermarket, which would see That Party Place and a section of B& M demolished to make way for a car park of 120 spaces.
The planning application said that Aldi would “partially demolish the main retail terrace, removing the two smaller units occupied by ‘ That Party Place’ and ‘ B& M’, but retaining the three larger units currently occupied by B& M.”
That Party Place currently employs seven members of staff, all of whom will be made redundant upon closing.
Alex said: “It’s not just my livelihood, but my staff’s too.
“We have a member of staff who has just found out she is pregnant, and it’s heartbreaking that I’m
having to lay her and everyone else off in January.
“They are all locals to Govan and it seems to me that Aldi just doesn’t care if they put people out of a job.
“Staff morale is down, but we’re just having to make it through until January now.”
In their planning application, it is stated that the opening of the supermarket will bring around 35 jobs to the area, although Alex has question the need for another food store in the area.
He said: “I’m a little bit surprised that the application has been approved because of the amount of food shops that we already have nearby.
“B& M are moving into the old Toys ‘ R’ Us building and we have Asda down the street also.”
Alex also said that after That Party Place was forced to shut for four months due to the coronavirus lockdown, the business is not in a position where they will be able to move premises.
He said: “I will have to pay them off as I can’t afford to relocate the business.
“It’s already been a tough few months and just when we are able to open again, we’ll be forced to shut the business down for good.”
Aldi was contacted for a comment on the situation, but did not respond.