Make room for new opportunities
WHEN entrepreneur John Quinn first set up business in Stirling there was a lack of industrial units.
“Twenty-five years ago industrial space was a problem,” he remembers. “The council was pretty good at building offices but there was a lack of industrial space. The Scottish Development Agency said they would let one to me on a 25-year lease but I had only been in business two minutes and a lease that long would frighten anyone off.”
An opportunity came up for Quinn to buy a building with a bit of land attached and realising how badly industrial units were needed he decided to build them himself. He built five to begin with and when they were snapped up he bought another building, which he leased to the council and, as it had a bit of land, he built some more industrial units. Those were let too and although Quinn had started off as an engineer merchant the industrial unit building business took off.
“We’ve built around 90 and they just keep filling up. It’s a good area for businesses to start up although there is hardly any manufacturing – most of them are services like plumbing and electrical contractors,” says Quinn, who is now involved in radio stations.
One problem he can foresee is the government’s decision to start charging rates on empty units, which he believes will stop people building them.
“They are not going to take the chance ... if they build them businesses will come,” he say. “I don’t think it is right if you have taken the chance with an investment you get nabbed with rates if it stays empty.”
Rates are a problem for town centres too, he believes. Like many in Scotland, Stirling’s town centre has been hit by out-of-town shopping but Quinn thinks more could be done to attract new businesses back to the high street.
“You’ve got to make it more attractive for businesses to come in,” he says. “Make it rate-free for businesses under two years old or below a certain turnover.”
He adds: “Councils could create more partnerships with businesses by getting involved in marketing and possible joint ventures.”