‘ Let’s stand together’: Plea for shop rent aid
AWEST End shop owner has pleaded for other struggling retailers to band together in a bid to receive rent support. Mark Galletly, who owns Galletly & Tubbs on Great Western Road, has slammed Glasgow City Council’s City Property for failing to offer adequate support for struggling businesses.
Mr Galletly insisted the Tenant Support Application, which has been offered to help those struggling to meet payments, only offers rent deferments leaving shops to pick up the tab at a later date.
He said: “I’ve lost out on threeanda- half months’ income but they expect full rent, when I’m the one taking the hit.
“I’ve managed to retain all our staff due to furlough, which is great, and had to take out a loan to survive, which I did, but it needs to be paid back and this doesn’t help ... we want to hear from others in the same boat, to hear their thoughts.
“You don’t know who to talk to or where to turn so we want as many people as possible to come together or a number of shops will close.”
A spokesman for City Property said: “As mentioned previously, City Property created the Coronavirus Tenant Support Application process in April to assist tenants where possible with regards to rent payments.
“The closing date for all applications was extended until Friday, August 28, to allow our tenants sufficient time to submit an application. Options of both rental deferments and rent- free periods are being evaluated across all submitted application forms and this information was issued directly to our tenants, as well as, on our website.
“We have continued to work with our tenants throughout this difficult period and also added additional phone lines to support any immediate concerns to our Tenant Liaison Office.
“In the meantime, our team continue to work hard to process all submitted applications and tenants are expected to be notified very soon.”