Businesses owners near Murrayfield fume 'Oasis gigs will cost us thousands'

Daily Record

4 days ago

The shop owners on Rose Street - just a stone's throw from the stadium in Edinburgh - claim the concerts will greatly impact them, their staff and customers.
Business owners near Murrayfield have hit out at the latest road closures announced ahead of Oasis.
The shop owners on Rose Street - just a stone's throw from the stadium in Edinburgh - claim the concerts will greatly impact them, their staff and customers. The Britpop band will be performing at the venue on August 8, 9 and 12.
During these performances, roads around Murrayfield will be closed from 2pm to 12.30am. Despite the business owners reaching out to the Scottish Rugby Union (SRU), which owns and operates Murrayfield Stadium, they claim to have been 'fobbed off' and offered no meaningful compensation.
Graeme Robertson, of Clan Garage on Roseburn Street, told Edinburgh Live he feels the SRU have not been receptive of his complaints.
He said: "People will bring a car in the morning, go off to work and say I'll pick up at night. Can't do that. I can't get deliveries after depending on what day... it's 12 o'clock carnage. I've been complaining I have done umpteen times because I'm losing thousands. It's three days' worth of closure.
"I've been back and forth. I've gone to the meetings about the concerts. I know the council has given the green light for more. I understand it's a business, they've got to earn money as well, but they're not going to for us. I go to Hampden, Hampden is in the middle of the housing estates and they don't close Hampden off."
Graeme's garage is a family-run business that first opened their doors in 2005. Due to these road closures he's expecting to lose out on thousands of pounds.
When he went to the SRU about his concerns, he said the only compensation he was offered was a couple of tickets to one of the Oasis gigs.
He added: "They tried to give me two tickets to the oasis concert. I've got six guys in here."
And just next door, Mohammed Aslam Khalil who owns Roseburn Garage, said he will have to close up for up to four days for the Oasis gigs.
He has been on Roseburn Street since 1983 and has no problem with weekend gigs, but weekday concerts have a financial impact on his business.
Mohammed said: "Over the road closures, the whole thing is going to affect us quite badly. The Saturday is OK, I mean we work a half day on a Saturday so it's not too bad, but Friday, then we've got the Monday and Tuesday. We're not going to be operational on the Friday, the Saturday half day, again on Monday, and Tuesday we're going to be out of action on Tuesday. Wednesday is when we're gonna be operational again.
"So Fridays is a dead day for us, Saturday morning we can cope, but again a dead morning. Monday will be a dead day for us as well - I don't know how we're going to get in and out on Monday - I just don't know what what the situation's going to be, and Tuesday's again the same. It's gonna impact on our revenue, I'm gonna have to pay the staff to be off all these days. So all in all, it's going to be quite an inconvenience."
"I did write to them and say to them while we appreciate the economic benefits of the event for the hospitality and entertainment sectors, it's going to affect us badly.
"We'll probably find ourselves closing for the 4 day and maybe one day for the AC/DC concert. It's through the week that is, you know, it's going to affect our regular customers. The last time it led to cancelled bookings, rescheduling, interruption, disruption to our daily routine."
He has also been in correspondence with the SRU and again, and said he was only offered tickets by way of compensation.
"So I don't know, they, they didn't seem to have any plan for us, the local businesses, apart from offering us free tickets which just doesn't, It doesn't do much for us," he said.
"I mean, the last one they just offered a couple of tickets. I mean it doesn't cut the mustard now, does it?"
Further down the street, Jim and Martin at JRM Coachworks said they tried their best to plan in advance for the Oasis gigs.
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They said: "The Oasis gig was fine to start with because it was Friday, Saturday. We just sort of blocked Friday out for cars but then they announced the Tuesday one. I've already got cars all booked in for the Tuesday because we work so far in front.
"Why could they not make the concert on the Sunday? Now I'm gonna have to give staff, because they can't get out, like [two half days]."
Now, in order to make sure people can get their cars into their body shop, they will have to reschedule a full day's worth of appointments.
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"I'm gonna have to cancel people, put them to the next day, it's just the Tuesday one is the biggest problem. The Friday, Saturday, not a major issue because we'd already said ages ago that we'll just shut Friday 'cause the Oasis fans are the worst.
"They're like, the way to describe it would be Celtic and Rangers fans together because they're the worst fans that come here. The last time they were here was ridiculous, but just, yeah, I can't see it being any different now.
"I know the fans will be slightly older but you've got the younger ones, they like it as well."
A SRU spokesperson said that road closures were vital for public safety and confirmed that they were in contact with local residents and businesses.
They said: "Scottish Rugby regularly engages with local businesses and residents who live and work on roads being subject to closure, which is vital in maintaining public safety on event days."