Angus commercial property owners have been told to ”take a look at themselves” after a bittersweet week for Arbroath.
As DIY chain B&Q officially unveiled its new store at the town’s Westway Retail Park last week, retail outlet Scottish Hydro Electric announced it is pulling out of the High Street after nearly 40 years.
Arbroath councillor David Fairweather said the large ”conglomerates” and private owners who rent units in the heart of the county’s communities need to drop their prices to hold on to retailers.
He said: ”As I understand it comes down to a question of rental, and Scottish Hydro have had to pull out because what they are paying has gone up. The people who own these High Street properties need to set the rent at a reasonable level.”
Scottish Hydro Electric will close its outlet on the pedestrian precinct by the end of the month. It is understood the shop at 247 High Street has not been operating as a viable concern for a considerable period.
Three members of staff two full-time and one part-time are affected by the closure. The firm says they will be offered voluntary redundancy or redeployment.
The company attempted to renegotiate the lease, but was unable to come to a suitable agreement.
A spokesman described the situation as ”upsetting” for staff members, stressing that the decision to shut the store had not been taken lightly.
When the shop opened in the 1970s customers still paid energy bills over the counter, but the advent of direct debit saw trade drastically reduced.
Mr Fairweather said that although the unit is to be vacated, he is confident another retailer will come in to fill the space.
He said: ”If you look at Arbroath High Street there are very few empty shops and I believe the town is bucking the national trend in that respect. I believe that more independent specialist shops will come in.”
Arbroath’s new B&Q store opened in time for the busy Easter weekend and provided entertainment to welcome the new customers in addition to a £500 raffle, competitions, a DJ and charitable fundraising.