Glasgow business forces to close due to Scottish Water works
This was done on July 7 to address property and Network Rail tunnel flooding in the area.
Part of the road closure is outside Beer Below and the bar's entrance has been fenced off, and some footpaths leading to the establishment have been closed.
Works are expected to last until the end of September.
(Image: Picture by Colin Mearns, Newsquest) (Image: Picture by Colin Mearns, Newsquest) Nunzio Russo, owner of Beer Below, told the Glasgow Times that the bar has seen a rapid decline in footfall as a result and has had to close.
He added: 'The business is already gone as far as I'm concerned, especially since the city centre is already so quiet.
'When we can finally reopen again, we will have to try to make back everything we have lost during the closure, which will be a big operation for us.
'This has been a lot of stress, and even my family are stressed out of their boxes. It's tough.'
(Image: Picture by Colin Mearns, Newsquest) (Image: Picture by Colin Mearns, Newsquest) (Image: Picture by Colin Mearns, Newsquest) Due to the lack of income but the ongoing need to pay rent, three members of Beer Below staff have been let go, much to Nunzio's anguish.
He went on to say that he may have to ask his landlord for some leeway on rent payments.
He added: 'To keep the business afloat and staff paid without being fully operational is just not something I think is sustainable.'
READ NEXT: Police pictured at construction site after 'human remains' found
Though the business received a letter from Scottish Water to inform them of the work before it took place, Nunzio said they did not detail that the bar's entrance would be blocked in any way or that his business would be affected.
(Image: Picture by Colin Mearns, Newsquest) Nunzio also owns Mediterranean restaurant Roots Bar & Brasserie, based on Renfield Street, which is being affected by the works too.
Unlike Beer Below, people can enter Roots as the entrance is clear of any apparatus. However, due to the surrounding fencing and signs in the vicinity, Nunzio said his business now lacks visibility to the wider public and he has lost customers.
This has meant that Roots has had to reduce its opening hours.
While they remain open all weekend, they are now only open during lunchtime on weekdays.
'The staff are so worried about if they're going to have a job in the future,' Nunzio said.
He added: 'I'm not sure if we are going to be able to keep running the business or keep staff in work. It is causing everybody a lot of stress.'
(Image: Image: Newsquest) Kaukab Stewart MSP has been helping Nunzio and pushing Scottish Water to resolve the matter.
She said: "I was very concerned to hear about the significant disruption to Mr Russo's businesses as a result of the ongoing works being carried out by Scottish Water.
'I was first made aware of these concerns on Friday 25th July, and have since raised the issue directly with Scottish Water. They have assured me that they are treating this as a matter of priority.
'While I fully recognise the importance of essential public works, they should not come at the expense of local residents and businesses. I urge Scottish Water to constructively engage with Mr Russo to minimise any further distress."
READ NEXT: 19 incredible photos of US props taking over Glasgow streets for Spiderman filming
(Image: Picture by Colin Mearns, Newsquest) Scottish Water said they have implemented mitigation measures to help advertise that this and other businesses remain open in the area.
They anticipate finishing the work during August.
A Scottish Water spokesperson said: 'Members of the project team have met with the owner of this business to understand the circumstances that the business is facing and have implemented mitigation measures to help advertise that this and other businesses remain open in the area.
"We appreciate that there is inconvenience caused by these essential works to help reduce the risk of sewer flooding, though these are necessary and will bring long-term benefits to the wider community.
'We will continue to work with local residents and business owners to help minimise any disruption for the duration of this major investment project.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Herald Scotland
18 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Water boss accused of negotiating pay for just 15 minutes
Mr Plant earns £483,000 - £100,000 more than his predecessor. [[Scottish Water]] did not confirm the length of time spent in negotiations by Mr Plant, but told The Herald the boss had been "fully engaged" in the process. Labour's Central Scotland MSP Monica Lennon has accused the water body of failing to "negotiate in good faith" with trade unions. Strikes by Scottish Water workers concluded after an improved offer was accepted by unions. The pay deal for 2024-25 and 2025-26 financial years is worth a minimum of £2,850 for members on salary bands one to six. Staff on band seven salaries will receive an additional £3,030 while band eight workers gain another £3,771. There were 10 days of strike action this year after the employer initially offered a pay rise of £1,050 for the lowest grade salaries. This, and a later 7% increase over two years, had been rejected by staff. Read more: Despite the strikes being called off, unions remain unhappy and have urged the company to reduce its reliance on contractors and agency staff, with approximately £3 million spent during this year's strikes. In a letter to the First Minister, seen exclusively by The Herald, Ms Lennon condemned the "unacceptable" situation which has led to Scottish Water executives being exempt from public sector pay policy. "I have seen clear evidence that Scottish Water failed to negotiate in good faith with unions of the past year to settle this dispute," Ms Lennon wrote. "Senior managers appeared to take a 'hands-off' approach and there was little engagement with staff. "I have been told chief executive Alex Plant attended just 15 minutes of talks. To put that into perspective, Unison's branch secretary Tricia McArthur logged 200 hours of work on the issue." While Mr Swinney has previously expressed support for public ownership, Ms Lennon warned the water firm appeared to be "drifting towards a completely different model". "The company has made significant decisions on how services are delivered without any involvement from unions, including a major transformation programme," she added. Read more: "Due to the direct impact on staff, those changes deserve detailed scrutiny." The Labour MSP, whose parliamentary register of interests state she is a member of the GMB and Unite the Union, told the First Minister: "It is time for the Scottish Government to act. Ministers must remind [[Scottish Water]] that it is publicly owned - and must operate in the interest of staff and the wider public." The Herald revealed the Scottish Water boss's pay rise in February, despite public sector pay rules stating he was expected to receive a 10% cut. The increase was a record in recent years with performance bonuses and benefits amounting to £170,000 on top of a £246,000 basic salary. A Scottish Water spokesperson said: 'The trade union members who work at Scottish Water voted strongly in favour of our recent pay deal. 'The more than 7.5% increase over two years builds on a decade where pay deals have kept well ahead of inflation, reflecting the company's commitment to its people and fair work principles. 'Alex Plant, our chief executive, was fully engaged in decision making with negotiations led by Peter Farrer, our chief operating officer, and Lynne Highway, our director for people, as part of the consultation and negotiating structure agreed by the Joint Trade Unions. Each dedicated significant amounts of time to pay talks over many months. 'Publicly owned Scottish Water is the UK's top performing water company with 94% customer satisfaction and one of the most trusted utilities in the UK, according to the Institute of Customer Service. 'Scotland's bathing waters have also recently achieved new quality records with 87% rated 'good' or better according to the independent regulator, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). The UK Government's Independent Water Commission also recently noted 'Scotland has a greater number of water bodies achieving 'good' status compared to England and Wales''. Ms Lennon's letter warns the First Minister that the public are at risk of losing trust in the water industry following a spending scandal at regulator Water Industry Commission for Scotland (Wics). The regulator spent £77,000 on a Harvard Business School course for a senior executive, as well as a number of meals and gift cards for staff which exceeded gift value limits. Climate Action Secretary Gillian Martin admitted "shortcomings" in how the government handled the spending saga. Ms Martin said: "Following the recent week long strike, I wanted to ensure a positive way forward which fell within the spirit of the Government's public sector pay policy; was affordable to Scottish Water's employees and minimised the impact on customers. "The Scottish Government has been assured that Scottish Water's pay negotiations with the Unions was transparent and in line with fair work principles and aligned with the appropriate standards for a public corporation. "There are no plans to privatise Scottish Water. Scottish Water is performing extremely well as a publicly owned corporation, matching the levels of service provided by companies in England and Wales whilst ensuring that households in Scotland pay less than in the rest of the UK. "All profits go back into improving the service, never to shareholders and that is the way it will stay under this government."
Glasgow Times
a day ago
- Glasgow Times
Glasgow plaque 'reveals source' of Barr's Irn Bru's flavour
It claims that founder Robert Barr accidentally spilled his tea on the rocky spot which turned it into a "bright orange liquid" which became the iconic Irn Bru flavouring. The tongue in cheek marker is attached to the fence near Kelvinbridge subway station to mark the site of "Robert Barr's Guid Ore Mine." Passersby can stop and take in the "history" of the "mine" (rail tunnel). The tall-tale of Robert Barr's 'Guid Ore Mine' (Image: Newsquest) READ MORE: IRN-BRU to bring back famous 'Made in Scotland from Girders' tagline in £8m campaign READ MORE: 'It's just great': Japan ambassador tries Irn-Bru on visit to whisky distillery The plaque reads: "In 1863, Robert Barr, the son of a Falkirk cork-maker, was brewing tea on this spot when he accidently knocked over his kettle. "To his surprise, the hot water dissolved some of the rocky outcrop on which he sat, turning it into a bright orange, effervescent liquid. "Out of curiosity, but with much trepidation, Barr tasted the resulting concoction and was surprised to find it had a unique, slightly metallic, and not entirely unpleasant flavour. "Realising the opportunity, Barr borrowed enough money to purchase the land around the outcrop. "He then set to work mining what he called his' guid ore' which he turned into a health tonic he named Iron Brew and advertised as being made in Scotland from 'guid ore': It was an instant hit, and within a matter of months it had made him a millionaire many times over. "By 1890, Barr had extracted all of the guid ore he could and despite an exhaustive search, he couldn't locate another source. "By then he'd stock-piled enough to ensure the continuous production of his Iron Brew (which was rebranded as Irn-Bru in the 1940s) until 2037, but after that date, the company he founded will no longer be able to produce any more. "In 1892, Barr sold the mine to the Caledonian Railway Company, who used it as the basis of a new railway line connecting the west of Glasgow to the city centre via this tunnel. "However, the steam from the engines mixed with the last traces of guid ore' in the rock, creating a distinctive dour which made it unpopular with the more refined residents of Glasgow's fashionable west end and it closed soon after." This is of course, a bit of a fabrication on the truth behind Scotland's favourite drink that's "made from girders." The plaque was erected by the Glasgow Information and Kultural Identity Taskforce (GlaIKIT). It's one of several across the city which GlaIKIT say are their "guide to the interesting (and some would say unbelievable) events which we feel have helped shape the city we call home." For anyone visiting Glasgow for the @UciWorldCycling and who wants to learn a little more about the host city, we have provided a number of informative plaques. They're not remotely not true, but they are informative! #glasgow #glaikit #glasgowhistory #glasgowhumour — Glasgow Information & Kultural Identity Taskforce (@Glaikit_Scot) August 11, 2023 READ MORE: Schoolboy's death 'could possibly have been avoided' says sheriff's FAI report The plaques previously caught people's attention as one at the Duke of Wellington Statue claimed to provide the inside story ofthe 'Ancient Tradition Behind The Cones On Glasgow's Statues'. Others tell tall-tales of "the short-lived prohibition on potatoes" in the city and one famous gig in King Tut's in the city centre, claiming that "the Gallagher brothers only got their big break as the result of a typographic error." Glasgow plaque 'reveals source' of Barr's Irn Bru's flavour (Image: Newsquest) Other humorous plaques detail fierce battles like "The Legendary Bun Fight At The Byres Road Corral." While all the stories are a bit far-fetched, they offer a city wanderer the opportunity to stop and take in the sights around them that they may have overlooked. As for Irn Bru, the secret recipe to its iconic taste still remains a mystery...
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Daily Mirror
End of season clearance sale slashes huge palm tree worth £180 to under £60
Thanks to this massive end-of-season clearance deal, green-thumbed shoppers can now add a huge, hardy palm tree to their outdoor space for £120 less - but only while this sale lasts Create a Mediterranean haven in your backyard with an XL palm tree that originates in the French and Italian Riviera. Touted as an extremely tough specimen that grows excellently in artist pots and planters, as well as directly in the soil, this Extra Large Hardy Mediterranean Fan Palm is sure to add a continental twist to our garden or patio - and right now, you can add this beauty in your outside area for less as an end-of-season sale sees it plummet from its steep original price of £179.99, all the way down to £59.99. But you'll need to act fast, this clearance sale won't last forever. Aside from the Trachycarpus, the Chamaerops Humilis is probably the best palm for growing in the UK when it comes to cold hardiness and weather tolerance. This species is experienced in a varied climate and survived the tough 2022/2023 UK winter, coming out thriving, where we experience lows down to -14c some nights. This Mediterranean Fan Palm is a small clustering palm with distinctive, huge green leaves that spread out in an attractive fan form. Providing a luxurious South of France feeling while you're still at home, the Chamaerops humilis produces babies that grow into a multi-stemmed plant, creating a bundle of flourishing palms that get bigger and bushier as they grow. Once established, Chamaerops humilis is tolerant of drought and well-suited to full blazing sun or partial shade. It can also withstand a cold garden or hot conservatory, whether you've planted it in an exposed garden or balcony planters; its versatility and durability mean it will be quite at home no matter where you plant it. What's more, you don't have to be a horticulturist to encourage this palm to thrive, as it's remarkably easy to look after and grow. The Mediterranean Fan Palm is a beautiful plant for any garden. When unpruned, it grows into an attractive shrubby form, while if you prefer to get it pruned, it will grow into a single-trunked tree form that's ideal for keeping in a planter. This palm works perfectly as a centrepiece in any outdoor area, creating impact anywhere it is planted. Touted as a real architectural masterpiece for your collection, why not try it in a roomy container to grace your patio or deck, and even show it off to friends at your next barbecue. It's even ideal to use as a houseplant. Chamaerops humilis is the northernmost naturally occurring palm in the world. It is found as far north as the south coast of France in its natural state. In the UK, it generally grows to around two metres tall. Normally retailing for £179.99, Gardening Express' end-of-season clearance sale has seen it fall all the way to £59.99 while stocks last. If you'd prefer to shop elsewhere or fancy grabbing a smaller variant, Thompson & Morgan are offering this Chamaerops humilis Dwarf Fan Palm for £69.99, or head over to Dobies to find this dwarf Chamaerops humilis for the same price.
