Glasgow City Council owed almost £100m in unpaid business rates
Glasgow City Council is owed nearly £100 million in unpaid business rates, including £10,000 from the vape shop where the Union Street fire started.Summary
Glasgow City Council is currently owed £88,799,117.54 in unpaid business rates, representing over 6% of the £1.4 billion billed between 2021-22 and 2024-25. The fire on Union Street, which impacted Glasgow Central Station, began in a vape shop operated by Junaid Ltd (trading as Scot's World) that had not paid its non-domestic rates. The building's owner previously benefited from a tax loophole – Empty Property Relief – which was closed in April 2023, after the vape shop moved in. The council has also issued £13,600 in fines to 49 businesses for illegally selling vapes and/or tobacco. The incident has prompted calls for stricter regulation of vape shops, with First Minister John Swinney stating the government will examine safety issues “with an open mind.”
(Source：The Herald)
