The closure of Moray’s largest shopping centre will “take the heart out of the town”, shoppers have said.
Earlier today, we revealed that the St Giles Centre in Elgin is set to close – with shops told to move out within the next two weeks.
In November, Moray Council agreed to pursue £750,000 of unpaid business rates owed by the centre’s owner St Giles Holdings Ltd.
One shopper, who asked not to be named, said the closure would be a “tragedy” for the town centre.
“I used to work in the centre, what a shame,” she said.
“I knew it was in trouble, but never knew it was as close as that.
“It’s a pity they never paid the council what they owed.”
St Giles Shopping Centre, Elgin.Picture: Daniel Forsyth.
The woman also raised concern that shops currently based in the St Giles Centre could move further out of town.
She asked: “What will happen to the shops in the centre?
“It’s going to take the heart out of the town.
“What a tragedy.
“And they are trying to encouraging folk to visit the town centre.”
Peter McLen, from Elgin, said he remembered the “exciting” opening of the shopping centre in the 1990s.
68-year-old said: “It’s a shame, for a place like this.
“No wonder folk have to go out of Elgin, to Inverness, Aberdeen, there’s nothing here.
“Look at the state of it, you ken yourself, it is scandalous.
“It’s got to be sad for the staff.
“And is nobody really going to do anything about it?
“That’s the way the world goes now.
“Before long, there’s not going to be a shop for me.”
Speaking on Elgin High Street, Kerry Feeney said: “It’s a shame for the folk that work there.
“I really feel for these guys, who have lost their jobs with two weeks notice.
“The owner shouldn’t have brought it on themselves, not paying their rates.”
Kerry also worried that elderly people could be forced to wait outside for buses, once the St Giles Centre closes.
“It’s somewhere to sit in the bus station, for elderly folk whenever it’s cold like this,” she said.
“A place to sit inside and keep warm.”