WORKING FOR YOU We must work to keep businesses and shops in town

I’d like to start my column by wishing all Advertiser readers a very happy new year; I hope that 2020 and the new decade is all that you want it to be.

I’m going to focus this month’s column on the situation developing at the Faraday retail park in Coatbridge.

You might be aware that Next is set to close in the coming months due to a rise in rent.

This store is a main feature of the business park and employs more than 60 local staff members.

When I highlighted that this was happening on social media, people were rightly outraged.

I have committed to supporting the staff and have written to the landlord and Next asking for a meeting to try and bring a common sense resolution to the ongoing situation.

More recently, I’ve learned that Outfit is facing a similar situation and again I have offered my support there to help anyone affected.

It’s clear that there is an issue with high rent increases at the Faraday putting off businesses that are situated there, and potentially further investment in the area.

I’ll be making this point generally with the landlords, Legal and General, when a meeting is set up.

Coatbridge is a great town with a rich industrial heritage of which we can all be proud.

But it’s important that as the town undergoes ongoing regeneration, we have modern shops and businesses to help keep people local, bring others into the town and create good quality jobs and employment opportunities.

Shops like Next and Outfit help to do that. We should be talking about what else we can get into the Faraday – like Primark and other businesses – not what is coming out.

I’ve held initial meetings on the state of the old town centre and I fully support the council’s ambitious plans for its regeneration into a modern residentialtype area.

While we do that, we have to ensure that we work together – politicians of all parties, the council, landlords and businesses – to ensure we keep a strong and vibrant local economy.

I’m committed to doing that and helping our town to go on to be the best it can be.

Ongoing situation Mr MacGregor is concerned with developments at Coatbridge’s Faraday retail park and has vowed to do all he can to help